


Deus Ex: Human Revolution Shadow's Showdown

by Nifriel



Category: Deus Ex (Video Games), Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Genre: Dark Past, F/M, Original Characters - Freeform, Pre-Game Story, Sexual Content, Shadow's Showdown, Some Humor, Stockholm Syndrome, first longer English writing, possible story changes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:13:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 15
Words: 38,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28175961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nifriel/pseuds/Nifriel
Summary: The year is 2027. Story begins two months before the first attack on Sarif Industries headquarters and continues through the Deus Ex: Human Revolution game events. Laura Werner is a freelance hacker who was hired to gather intel for unknown superiors. Mission supposed to be easy until Adam Jensen - head of the security didn't interrupt her plans...This fanfic was based on my comic, but I changed some things, because those who already know the comic may consider reading the same things boring. Also during writing I felt that some scenes would be better and more emotional after changes.
Relationships: Adam Jensen/Original Female Character
Comments: 27
Kudos: 9





	1. The Grumpy Cerberus

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I'm Nifriel. :)  
> Tis is my first long story translated into English from Polish (which is my native language) so I'm aware of mistakes. I hope that it will be at least understandable cause I want to share it with you. It was started long time ago, but drawing my comic took me most of the time so I had to choose. Now the time has come to move this thing and give it all of my love and heart like to any other project, make it alive and finally mine. Deus Ex Universe is the best thing I could have ever imagine, mostly because of Adam Jensen. I was a bit afraid that Laura (and my other OC) may be seen as an unwanted intruder in complete story of Human Revolution, but still I want to write the story, and finish my comic no matter what. With new characters onboard there will be changes in the original story I can't avoid that, and don't want to, but my goal is to make them a natural part of the action.
> 
> Thank you in advance for any feedback, and I hope that you will enjoy the story.
> 
> You can read my comic here: [Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [tumblr] ](https://crunchy-shadow.tumblr.com) or here: [ Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [dA] ](https://www.deviantart.com/nifriel/gallery/61880373/deus-ex-shadow-s-showdown)

_Year 2027. Detroit, Laura’s apartment._

It was late afternoon when Laura’s smartphone started to ring. She didn't want to answer the call, but Pritchard didn't like to wait either. Besides, she needed a job, so playing too much with her boss wasn't a good way to keep it. Luckily Laura managed to know Frank enough during those few weeks of working under his command so that she was aware of how far can she push the line.

"Laura it's urgent! See you at my office, you've got 10 minutes!" Frank yelled from a loudspeaker as he always does.

Laura was forced to leave reading her favorite book about hacking tricks for later. She lazily put it back on the table and finished cold coffee. „Archn3rd0 can wait a few minutes. There’s always a lot of fuss about nothing.” she thought while slipping into a green turtleneck sweater, and a blue high-waist skirt. „Farewell, comfy clothes.” That’s what seemed to express her face. Finding shoes was a great challenge. Laura’s apartment may be luxurious, and not cheap at all, but at least she can keep it messy because nobody visits her. Laura Werner talking to you live from… Mordor. That's a good way to describe this mess.

"Stalker, you idiot!" she growled with fury at her black cat. Because of him, she would almost lose her teeth.

Fighting with long, brown-reddish hair consumed most of the precious time. Frank interrupted that battle with text messages. Asshole sent ten of them within a minute. Finally, she pinned hair in a bun, giving the final touch with a magnolia-shaped hairpin. Soon Laura was ready to go. With few books under her arm and a file in her teeth, she locked the door with the key. Miss Werner was an old-fashioned girl, a weirdo, they say. Going down the staircase, she heard the Newmans yelling at each other. The Cornwel family apparently had a party downstairs. Loud music was pouring out on the corridor, mixed with laughing and raised voices. Maybe she would drop by, but the track list wasn't really what Laura likes the most.

Before walking down the wide street, she looked ahead, admiring the Chiron apartment building for a moment.

„They have such a great life.” Thought with a heavy sigh.

On the way to her working place, she was passing by a dark alley, where groups of shady types were making the deals. The reek of weed, cigarettes, and spilled beer was terribly annoying. She always tried to avoid places like this one. You can't tell what those guys can be capable of. Prostitutes were leaning against the walls of gloomy skyscrapers raised on both sides of the road. People were talking about the weather, politics, and mostly about augs. Some of their chatting were muffled by passing cars. Laura looked up, longing for the blue sky, which was barely visible because of dense clouds.

„When I’ll be old I want to live in a small house with a garden, somewhere in the middle of nowhere. I will sit on the porch, drink cocoa, and stroke the cat occupying my knees.” Warm thought made her smile to herself for a short moment. Sadly, these are only dreams.

She hated all those blinding lights, neons screaming from every corner with advertisements, electronic books, and newspapers. Everything. Good old days are gone - That was the greatest sadness consuming her thoughts. What’s more, she’s alone here in Detroit and not eager to make any new friends. The mission must be completed, and after that, she’ll be gone for good.

Sarif Industries headquarters - The monument of a new era, a place where all of your dreams come true. If you have money of course. Laura passed by the wing-shaped installation lit with bright yellow lights and followed to the front door.

“Great world, here I come!” She almost screamed out loud when the glass door opened before her.

***

_Sarif Industries headquarters. Lobby._

_Two months, before the first attack._

Forget, disappear, do not exist. She wanted it so much at that moment, the moment that changed her life forever…

Nothing extraordinary used to happen on the way from the door to the escalator. And Laura didn't expect that something will today. Same as yesterday, and days before, she was passing by some workers busy with gossiping about unimportant things, security guards keeping order, and people coming to sign contracts to supply prostheses from Sarif Industries. Today, however, everything was completely different.

"Do not use this code!" she screamed at her colleague through the speaker of her smartphone. "Do I speak a foreign language? Didn't I make myself clear enough?!" she pressed. "Great!" muttered, ending the call. "Idiot…"

At the same time, Laura felt like she was bumping into something or someone. A pile of books fell on the floor and scattered around her feet. She lost the grip on the paper coffee mug so it soared up high, pouring out the wet brownish content. She momentarily saw that big, wet stain on a dark brown, cotton turtleneck and part of a black coat. Her body seemed to scream an order to run away as far as she could and hide deep underground. But she couldn't. She was just standing like a pillar of stone, unable to move or say anything. She must have looked stupid at that moment, but the victim didn't seem to notice.

"From zero to zero cool? The code has you? The dark side of the code?" Laura heard his voice for the first time in her life and it was the sweetest melody she’s ever experienced. He was kneeling in front of her, mumbling book titles like nothing really happened. "Working with Pritchard is quite a challenge, miss…" He paused and raised his head up giving Laura a long careful stare with his hypnotic blue-gray eyes.

"Werner" she replied after a moment of silence. "Laura Werner. I am very sorry, Mr. Jensen. I really am. I'll pay for the cleaning, please send me the bill."

Adam was so formal and cold, but yet there was something that pushed her towards him. Luckily she did some research, and thanks to this she knew something about him.

"Nothing really happened." He replied with a rough tone of the head of security. "Was your boss the one you were yelling at?" Jensen asked handing over her books.

"No, not at all. After all, he's my boss, I'd get fired for such impertinence. I like my job so..." Hearing every spoken word Laura realized that she’s talking without any sense.

“So, you work in Cyber Security and I don't know you, but you know me. How is that possible?” Adam has changed the subject smoothly, and his tone has become colder.

“I insist, Mr. Jensen. Your coat is dirty because of me.” She just tried to spin around that stain and buy some time, but Jensen wasn't fooled.

“We’re not talking about my clothes Miss Werner. I asked you a question, so please answer.” Listening to him was almost the same as talking with a cop during interrogation at the police station. The only difference is that Adam is handsome as hell and most of those flatfeet not.

“It's simple." she shrugged. "Sarif Industries has many employees in the CSec, but there is only one head of security – You, Mr. Jensen.” Laura said without hesitation, looking straight into his eyes.

“Point for you, Mrs. Werner.”

For the first time, she felt victorious, but it’s only a false feeling. Jensen agreed with her what’s more, he must be tired cause making such a trivial mistake doesn’t fit his professional look.

“Miss.” she couldn’t resist and pointed to that mistake, though she didn't manage to baffle him. Adam was so determined, almost desperate to know the truth, and nothing could possibly stop him from doing so.

“Miss...” Jensen repeated slowly like he had realized his failure. “So how long have you worked at Sarif Industries, and why I know nothing about it?!” His voice changed from ice cold to thunder strike. Laura felt overwhelmed and cornered with one swift stroke. What if he already knows the truth? Impossible...

“I...” she started slowly, trying to choose her words carefully. There’s no place for a mistake. This is now or never.

“The clock is ticking, Miss Werner." he urged.

She felt that her legs are bending under the weight of his words like a willow tree. Laura didn't know what to say exactly, because no one had ever asked her about such unimportant things. He interrogated the suspect with a precision of an old cop, or maybe he used to be one?

“Since the simplest question remains unanswered, the rest of the conversation will take place at my office and I’m afraid that personal search is unavoidable.” It was hard to say if he just tried to scare her off or simply he was serious. Before she regained control, an unexpected rescue appeared.

She was more or less 5'2 tall, green-eyed brunette, wearing a fancy grayish tunic, black leggings, and high heels. With no doubt, she had a big impact on Adam’s behavior cause suddenly he smoothly transformed into a nice guy. If Laura was not mistaken in her evaluation, this is doctor Reed.

“Finally, Megan” Adam sighed with disapproval. “You said it would take you five minutes, and that was a quarter of an hour ago.” he complained.

“Oh Adam, you know that my research is important and everything has to be done perfectly before DC.” Megan tried to explain herself and her sweet talking made him melting like snow in the spring. “I’m free to go now, you must be starving.”

“Mhm, I am. But we'll drop by into my apartment on the way to the restaurant. I have to get changed.” After saying this, Jensen looked at Laura once more. „We’ll end this conversation tomorrow at my office, Miss Werner.” she wanted so badly to just stick out her tongue at him or say something stupid, but playing with this grumpy Cerberus was simply unwise.

She gazed at Adam until his silhouette had disappeared, then she sighed with relief, leaning her back towards the tall neon cuboid with an advertisement of Neuropozine. She’s been watching Jensen carefully since the beginning of their conversation. Without a doubt, he was a grumpy professionalist with a poker-face, who knew his job very well. He was rough in his relations with strangers and seemed to be inaccessible, but every firewall can be bypassed. All you have to do is take the right approach, and he will eat from her hand. If this is a "Song of Ice and Fire" then Laura is the fire that will melt the ice. She promised herself to destroy the wheel and break the chains. Adam won’t stop Laura from doing her job.

Yet with every second, a strange, unknown feeling was growing stronger and it was hard to fight with. She couldn’t resist it much longer, but the message codded in her mind reminded her that superiors don’t pay for fondness. She’s a hacker, the best one, and getting pieces of information is what she’s good at. Laura stood a while longer, looking at Sarif’s face smiling at her from another tall cuboid advertising this company. Finally, she considered that pushing the line further is very risky, and may evolve into an unwanted storm, so she stepped onto the escalator which took her to the second floor, straight into her boss's jaws.


	2. The Archn3rd0

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After first encounter with Adam things can't get worse, can they? (Yes they can, and will)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same as in comic sometimes I'm using various songs which you may or may not listen. :)

_ Head of cyber-security - Frank Pritchard's office. _

Francis Wendell Pritchard, Frank, Nucl3arsnake, Archn3rd0, or just the boss. Pain in the ass, but there’s one thing that must be admitted - he understands computers like no one else. He's rude to anyone, and his attitude lets, people know that they are not worthy even to look at him. At least that's what Laura observed during her relatively short stay at Sarif Industries headquarters. The exception to this rule are other computer geeks, whom he treats less harshly but they still are dumber than himself.

"Finally! Miss Werner herself!" He squawked unpleasantly with the voice of an old parrot, still staring at the computer screen.

"Hi Frank, I don't like you either." Laura paid back with the greeting. That was a part of their daily ritual. "But I have a little gift for you." She added, handing him over the blue file.

While Pritchard was enthusiastically flicking through the papers, Laura had some time to memorize his office. Computers, more computers and…even more computers. It is the simplest description of his kingdom. Pritchard had a decent server room here, which probably contained quite a lot of useful information. All that she needed to do was to learn the system well, then bypass its firewalls and at the same time fortify herself with one, redirect connections, let a worm into the system, break a few passwords... - she calculated in her mind. It is doable, a piece of cake. The server lights flickered rhythmically and froze. Frank cursed silently as he leaped up from his chair.

"This piece of junk crashes again." He muttered as he kicked the metal case and regretted it immediately afterward.

"Can I have a look?" She asked with a raised eyebrow as the boss bounced in place on one leg.

"Suit yourself. Although I doubt that you are smarter than me." He replied with a poisonous smile.

"This blue wire should be plugged in here, and the green one is redundant." She spoke more to herself than to him. "Try to reset." She asked.

Frank unwillingly returned to his chair and typed a few commands. He almost wanted to say "Didn't I tell you ?!" with that proud tone of his when the message "Connection restored" appeared on the screen. Laura was standing right behind him but didn't say a word. The black leather jacket with orange inserts on the shoulders and white on the sleeves squeaked unpleasantly as he moved. Pritchard fixed his white turtleneck and grunted. He didn’t want to admit that she solved the problem, and simply thank her for that. Frank was too proud for this. An awkward silence floated in the air, repeatedly disturbed by the tapping of a pen on the desk surface. Finally, he tossed a new pile of papers on the desk.

"Why are you still standing here?!" He growled irritably. "Are you growing roots here or what? You have nothing to do?"

"I'm gone." Laura replied shortly with dissatisfaction, gathered the papers, and disappeared behind the door.

"You have to correct it for me by tomorrow, even if it may take you the whole night!" He shouted after her.

Walking along the long corridor, she passed by more offices surrounded by glass walls. Camera lenses followed her steps, making sure that she won’t break the law, but Laura had a few tricks to fool them if she wanted to. The escalator was already turned off, so she was forced to use the ordinary stairs. In addition to reviewing and correcting what Frank had given her, she also had to work out a strategy to fight with Jensen. Things were getting too complicated, and soon could jeopardize her mission, but that wasn't what scared her the most.

***

_ Detroit. Laura's apartment. _

She got home early in the evening, but there was no time and place for resting. The pile of papers seemed to be bigger now than when it was on Pritchard’s desk. This means only one - she won't be going to bed soon. The Newmans stopped arguing, and from the party at Cornwells, she managed to pick out the lyrics.

[There's something cold and blank](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQPJYnr48yU)  
behind her smile  
She's standing on an overpass  
in her miracle mile

'Cause you were from a perfect world  
A world that threw me away today, today, today  
To run away

A pill to make you numb  
A pill to make you dumb  
A pill to make you anybody else  
But all the drugs in this world  
Won't save her from herself

"Their taste has improved." she thought, going upstairs. Stalker greeted her as soon as she crossed the threshold. Of course, she knew he was only interested in food, but she nevertheless stroked his head tenderly. He replied with a long purr as he walked slowly between her legs. Laura tossed the keys on a nearby locker, took off her uncomfortable shoes, and put on slippers. She placed the pile of folders carelessly on the sofa, then headed to the kitchen. She turned on the light and froze. An overturned jug was lying on the cupboard, and the water ran in streams, dripping onto the floor. The coffee mug, she had left when she was gone for work, now was shattered into pieces, and the culprit looked at its mistress with his usual innocent expression.

"Stalker, you little...! How many times do I have to remind you that mugs DON’T BOUNCE?!" Laura screamed with fury. After confronting Jensen and an episode with Frank, she had enough impressions for today. Besides, she had some extra work, that her boss had ordered her to do and now that mess in the kitchen. Before she started cleaning, she slipped into a loose-fitting t-shirt and sweatpants. While sweeping the floor, Laura realized that her plan to defeat Adam turned out to be more difficult than she thought it would be. This guy was as cunning as a fox and nosier than her neighbor. Apart from Megan, she found no other weak points in his defense. When she was done, she prepared a bowl of Crunchy Pirates and sat down on the couch, leafing through the papers. At least half of them were useless and messy, but some gave her hints on how she could hack into Pritchard's database or even deeper into company servers. It was highly unwise to entrust such important things to anyone, and that observation made Laura even more curious. Despite his repulsive nature, Frank had to trust her, or he simply wanted to check her out because she did not consider him as a complete idiot. She dealt with the additional task extremely quickly, so before going to sleep she managed to take a hot shower and wash away the events of today. Laura always tried to leave things behind, but not every time she succeeded.

[<< **Run with Me | Detroit: Become Human OST >>**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGmYcZB_oAI)

"Morning always comes too soon." She thought as the alarm clock rang and echoed loudly among the bedroom walls. The cool sheets still reminded her about the unexpected dream, the one about someone who shouldn't even be there. Laura felt as if her software had been attacked by a virus, breaking through all defense lines. Stalker jumped on the pillow and dabbed his tail against her cheek. She pushed him away with a little dissatisfaction, slowly scrambling out of bed. She slipped her feet into the soft cat-shaped slippers, stretched with a loud yawn, and that was the end of her nice, lazy morning. She jumped out of bed at light-speed when she realized what time it was.

"Frank is going to kill me!" She screamed so loudly that the frightened cat scuttled under the bed. The shower took her 5 minutes instead of 10. Dressing up 15 instead of 30, and she didn't even touch her breakfast. She left Stalker a full bowl of cat food and poured water into the second one. She grabbed her backpack and ran out of the house. Halfway she turned around because she forgot to lock the door. Along the way, she bumped into a nosy neighbor, who didn’t stop cursing even when she already disappeared from his sight.

Fate did not spare Laura today, she was terribly late and a heavy downpour welcomed her outside. She put on the hood, which at least gave her apparent protection, and rushed down the street. Water splashed from under the soles of the shoes with her every move. The almost entire way she was on the run, pausing only for a moment to catch her breath. By the time she got to the company, she was already soaked to the bone.


	3. The Personal Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura still wants to fight Adam, but the more she wants to defeat him, the harder lesson she gets from him. She doesn't want to admit that she may simply like him or at least tolerate and just exist next to Jensen. Will the 'favor' be stronger? What is she ready to sacrifice?

_Sarif Industries headquarters. / Adam Jensen's office._

Exhausted and out of breath, she runs through the lobby as an arrow fired from a bow and... Was it destiny or maybe bad luck? She was trying to find an answer to this question while sitting on the cold floor with raindrops still dripping from her hair onto her face.

“Good morning, Miss Werner. You want so urgently visit my office?" she heard that hated voice, and the answer suddenly became obvious - Bad luck! And that was the nastiest, worst possible kind of bad luck... "I'm flattered, madam." he added, reaching out to help her with getting up from the floor. She wanted to tell him, where he should put it, but in the end, returned the gesture. This courtesy is highly suspicious, but she had no choice. The whole elaborate plan turned into deep shit. The strangest thing about it all was his tone. It did not at all resemble that one of yesterday. Adam was just nice.

"Thank you." That's all that Laura managed to say. If you asked someone from the outside, he would certainly say that she lost her head for Adam in that one brief moment, and yet yesterday she wanted to cut his throat with a dull knife.

"So please, come with me." he said calmly, gesturing towards the stairs. Stairs, not the escalator. Laura saw in it some kind of attachment to the old days, which she worshiped too, but it was probably only just her imagination. 

They remain silent all the way to the third floor. Laura, being afraid that she can make things worse, decided not to change anything. While standing in front of the entrance, to the office, she watched as the head of security enters the access code, on the electronic lock, and in the blink of an eye, she also knew the combination. Adam, like a true gentleman, opened the door and invited her inside. Two monitors, several cabinets, a comfortable sofa, and this wonderful view of the lobby. That was all that she managed to sniff out when he interrupted her with a question.

“Would you like some coffee or maybe tea? You must have been freezing in the rain." He asked with concern, discreetly studying her reactions. Jensen clearly knew how to approach his victim, and his composure calmed her, while at the same time lowered her vigilance.

"Coffee, please, if that's not a problem. Black, no sugar. " She replied, unzipping her navy blue hoodie. She tried not to look at Jensen. Standing towards the wall, made of smoky glass with a huge inscription "VISION" on the surface, almost touching it with her forehead, she was looking at people bustling below like ants.

Adam took off the coat and hung it on a hanger. He was wearing a dark green sweater and dark gray pants. No wonder, since the brown one was stained with coffee. She heard a soft rustle as he pulled out a box of Golden Icarus cigarettes and a lighter from his coat pocket. The quiet footsteps became more and more obnoxious, and the silence tinkled in her ears.

“Smoking is harmful." She replied reflexively when she smelled smoke. Adam shrugged, took a puff, and handed her a cup of coffee.

"Well... Miss Werner." He said after a moment, settling down in one of the office armchairs near the desk. "I'd like to see your backpack, please." The words made Laura choke on her coffee, but this time Jensen didn't pat her on the back.

"It was despicable." She hissed furiously. "You lured me here by trickery, served me coffee like a good friend…"

"I am not and will not be your friend." he interrupted her with this familiar, cold tone. "I have to check the employees of this company whether you like it or not." He explained firmly, and once again puffed on a cigarette. "Now, please don't make this long because we both have our duties."

Laura had no way out of this impasse, Jensen pushed her against the wall. She obediently handed him her backpack, praying that he won't discover the truth. She decided that she would at least try to distract him. They were standing on the opposite sides of the desk like two gunslingers. She was the good, he was the bad. Laura sent him an electrifying glare, but he simply ignored it.

"Bravo, you found my lunch..." It was actually a sandwich at least from yesterday, but that's irrelevant. Laura's comment was left unanswered.

When the head of security found a box of Crunchy Pirate cereal, the girl held her breath, but still tried to stay calm.

"Cereals? At work?" He muttered, looking at the box and weighing it in his hand. "A bit too heavy" he added.

"Limited edition includes Crunchy Pirate Ship model." she explained with grave seriousness, although inside she cried with laughter. "Yes, Mr. Jensen, I not always have time to visit an exclusive restaurant for dinner, so I'm content with cereal.” Laura was wondering if Adam felt anything at all under these thick scales of his.

Adam was analyzing the box for a while but finally gave up. He checked every nook of the backpack, but he didn't find what he was hoping to. Jensen was obsessively trying to prove that Laura had unclean intentions, and yes, she did, but she knew how to hide well with them.

"And now personal search." Jensen announced superiorly and clapped his hands. "Please hurry, I don't have all day." he urged.

“This is unprofessional. It should be done by a woman." Laura unsuccessfully tried to protest.

"Unfortunately, only me and my hands are here now." he muttered.

"Pervert..." she hissed. "One false move and you are dead."

"Believe me, this is just as unpleasant for me as it is for you."

It hurt a lot. Though she shouldn't have worried about it at all, the thought that she wasn't attractive enough immediately flashed through her mind. His hands slowly glided over her arms and forearms, which caused a pleasant feeling of warmth spreading throughout Laura’s body. She unwillingly tensed, feeling through the hoodie that Adam's fingers stopped just under her breasts. Her heart started to beat quicker and quicker like never before.

"One false move..." she warned him again.

"Just a second, I have to check something..." he muttered, shifting his hands to her hips. An electrifying shiver ran down her spine. "Something is vibrating..." he stated quietly. "I mean in your pocket." added immediately. 

"This is my phone, pervert." she riposted angrily.

"Go on and pick up, maybe it’s something important." he encouraged, taking a step away from her.

That warm, cozy feeling was long gone, and she started to miss it already.

"Laura, god damn, where are you?! You know that we have a lot of work to do! You have half of a minute to get to my office!" Frank's voice attacked from the loudspeaker. "And Jensen, I know you're there! If you’re the one responsible, you're a dead man! "

Jensen sat down on the couch smoking another cigarette and somehow didn't care at all about Pritchard's words. Laura looked at him briefly. "If he thinks that he looks sexier with this cigarette, then... He's right." she thought, taking her backpack.

"Is that all, Mr. Jensen?" she asked coldly and ostentatiously finished her cool coffee.

"Of course, Miss Werner, have a nice day." he replied disarmingly kindly. "But I'm afraid the procedure will have to be repeated anytime soon." he added when she almost left his office. "And please don't slam...” he sighed. “With the door."

If she could, she would have hit him right in the nose so that his teeth would tinkle. She was furious like never before. Jensen played at her expense, humiliated her, and…

"Hey! Wait!" she heard an unfamiliar voice behind her back. "Laura, right?" asked a woman with black short-cut hair.

"Yes, and you are...?" she asked surprised, not really knowing how to behave.

“Faridah Malik also known as Fly Girl. I am the chief pilot." she introduced herself, offering Laura a hand to shake.

"Laura Werner, I’m working for Pritchard at Cyber-Sec." she replied, returning the gesture.

"Can we talk for a while? For example, during lunch?" Faridah proposed unexpectedly. Laura wondered what she might want from her right now?

"Ok, if only Frank would give me some free time."

"You'll find me in office 22, I don't have any flights today. I'll see you later."

Laura checked the time on the smartphone screen and sighed loudly. _Frank is going to kick her ass from one end of Sarif Industries to the another. This isn’t good at all!_

***

_Head of Cyber-Security, Frank Pritchard's office._

She was ready for the worst possible event, but what could be worse than visiting Jensen? Frank will grumble for a while, and she will listen to usual things like “Laura you’re such a disappointment”, “I have to do everything by myself.”, “You should try harder.”, “I don’t have time to be a baby sitter”. Then he forgets, and things have come full circle. Besides, she did what he asked for. During the search, Adam checked through each page of her work several times. She wondered how much did he understand. 

"Laura, darling! That nasty monster finally let you go?" The tone of his voice made her raise an eyebrow in genuine surprise. "Have they all gone totally crazy?" she thought. "Papa Frank won't let anyone be hurt by that evil Jensen. He knows nothing about computers! He’s a different species! We geeks should stick together. I have spoken."

She didn't know if she should come closer or run away. Anyway, she already felt hopeless. Besides, she was soaked, and so far only Adam had shown her concern, false but still a concern.

"Say that you have it. You are my best employee, I will give you the day off." Does Frank have a heart? Is that even possible?

"Of course I have. Have I ever let you down?" she asked, handing him a pile of folders which he began to browse with a sneaky smile.

"Perfectly solved, I would have done it differently myself, but this method gives more possibilities." he admitted with appreciation.

"I have a great mentor who has taught me a lot.” she tried to tickle his ego.

"Now go, girl, before I change my mind." Pritchard returned to his usual grumpy tone. 

Laura returned to her small office. She tossed the wet hoodie on the back of the sofa and fixed her hair tied in a high ponytail. From her backpack, she pulled out a box of cereals which did not contain a model of the ship but a few Nukeviruses and Stop! Worm discs. Since Frank gave her some free time, she decided that she would use it to dig into the company's resources and send some data to her superiors. For almost half of an hour, she couldn't concentrate. She recalled Adam over and over again, evoked his smell, his touch, and that hot breath on her neck. Even after how he had treated her, she still couldn't hate him for good. She tried to find a thousand excuses for him, just not to admit openly, that he was a simpleton and boor. "This is not what it was supposed to look like." she thought, and hardly forced herself to send anything to her superiors with the quiet hope that it would be something useful. In fact, she had no specific guidelines. She knew nothing at all about who she was working for and for what purpose. She was simply bound by a favor that was starting to tire her terribly. If it hadn't been for her commitments, she might have skipped these scuffles with Jensen, and they would both have been acting like adults. Unfortunately, she had to keep her cover for some time. This required sacrifice, as she knew too well. But if faced with a choice, would she be able to clearly define the limits of these sacrifices?

"We got away with it this time, cat." She said to the Maneki Neko cat figurine, trying to smile.

Moments later, she put her hacker gadgets back in the box, which she left on the shelf, and turned off the computer. She took her backpack and the still wet hoodie, then locked the office. She wanted to go straight back home, but an earlier meeting with Faridah did not give her peace.

"I wonder what she wanted to talk about so suddenly.” she thought and u-turned. Faridah's office was quite close to hers, so she decided to check there and find out what was going on.

"Please, come in." she heard the invitation just after she knocked on her office door. Soon after, she saw Faridah's wide smile.

"I'm free now, so if you're not busy, we can have lunch." she said a bit embarrassed.

"Great, but not here." Fly Girl replied quite mysteriously, which did not help Laura regain her mental balance. "I know a nice place called 'The Jackdaw'" she suggested.

“Okay, I'd love to get out of these walls." That's the only answer that came to her mind right now. Faridah was a complete mystery. They met a moment ago, and Laura had the feeling that she had known her for a long time. She emanated warmth and optimism that Laura had long missed. If they had met in different circumstances, they certainly would have become friends.

They walked out of the company together straight onto the gloomy and wet streets of Detroit. Laura felt as if she had spent the whole day in the company, but it wasn't that late. Maybe this little change will be good for her?


	4. The Fly Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This supposed to be a nice and peaceful time, but as everything in Laura's life, is ruined sooner or later. Her every meeting with Adam doesn't go well too. Will this ever end?

[ _**The Jackdaw theme.** _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOfC1PEKt1U)

_The Jackdaw_

Laura probably wouldn't have known this lovely place if Faridah hadn't brought her here. The tavern was decorated in a pirate style with wooden tables, chairs, and benches. Fishing nets were hanging from the ceiling, the pirate flag was also noticed by Laura. Even waiters took care of the right atmosphere. Faridah led her friend to one of the tables at the back, near the wall, where the menu cards were already prepared and waiting for customers. Laura put her backpack on the floor, took off the wet hoodie, and hung it on the backrest of the chair. She fixed the sleeves of a long-sleeved dark grey top and then sat down.

"I recommend you Tortuga Soup. It is delicious and warms you up well.” she suggested seeing Laura shivered from the cold several times.

"This is what I need, thank you." It's strange, but she had the impression that she would find a common ground with Faridah and despite the rules which she set earlier, Laura wanted to have a friend in her. It was a simple desire to avoid sitting alone in an empty apartment.

They didn't wait too long for orders. The soup was indeed delicious and warded off bad moods.

"What did you want to talk about?” Laura asked carefully. While waiting for an answer, she continued to eat her portion of soup.

"About Adam." As Faridah spoke the name, Laura felt her throat tightens. It took her some time to swallow that knot with Jensen’s name written on it. Why him? Out of a million different topics, she had to choose the one that boosts her anger.

"What about him?" she asked evasively, hoping that she could redirect the conversation to something more pleasant. "Wait a minute, maybe she thinks that he and I... For all the plagues of the world: IMPOSSIBLE!” she thought with an explicit disgust.

"I know you've been here for a short time and I really don't care where you worked before. It's not my concern. Just don't start your career by making enemies." Faridah said this quite harshly, almost like a warning, but it was hard to find any ill will in it. She just cared for Laura in a manner of an older sister.

"But I..." she tried to squeeze out a reply while looking at Faridah with her eyes wide open.

"Adam is doing his job, that's what he is paid for. He is firm and cold because he has to be like that, so don't throw obstacles under his feet. Remember for the future: I can be a far worse enemy than he is." she finished without letting Laura get a word out. Great, now instead of a friend, she has another problem.

Laura lowered her gaze to gather thoughts and sighed heavily. On the one hand, she was supposed to be a cold bitch who wants to achieve her goal by playing hardball, and on the other hand, she wasn’t heartless to just hurt anyone without hesitation. Faridah emitted such a calm aura of trust, that a moment more and Laura would tell her whole life story with every spicy detail. "So that was the point." she thought. Everyone except Frank treats Adam like a god or something. Who is he, in fact, that he deserves it?!

"If this is so, why did he mock me? Why did he make a fool of me?!" Laura spoke reproachfully, and her eyes burnt with anger. She promised to keep it for herself and only for herself, but she needed to confide in someone. Apparently, the easiest way is to talk with a stranger.

"Because you resisted, you tried to play games with him instead of cooperating. That's why you got what you asked for." she explained, helping Laura to understand the whole situation at least a little. "But believe me or not, he doesn't enjoy it at all."

"Oh, sure, he's probably hiding in a corner and crying." she hissed. "So now I should kneel before him and beg for forgiveness?!" Laura continued angrily, after a moment of silence. "I'm not going to apologize for something I haven't done, and the great Mr. Jensen doesn't need a defender!" Life has also taught her how to be tough and to deal with all circumstances. Asking for help or apologizing was not written in her nature, as she just remembered. To think that a moment ago, she was ready to fall apart.

"It is best to leave what has passed and not make the same mistake in the future.” Faridah did not even raise her voice.

The force of her calmness inflicted the feeling of guilt and shame on Laura again and again. This feeling swiftly coalesced into something very heavy, a turmoil that overwhelmed her heart and mind. Maybe Fly Girl was right and instead of attacking, she should keep a low profile and stay out of Adam’s sight?

"Think it over, girl.” Faridah advised and smiled friendly. „Meanwhile, it's time for me." she bid farewell and raised her hand in a goodbye gesture.

Fly girl stopped at the bar before leaving to pay for her lunch.

Laura did not want to go home, so she ordered a second bowl of soup and a cup of rum. She wished to get completely drunk and forget about everything.

  
***

_Sarif Industries. Frank Pritchard's office._

Adam did not give up on the matter of Laura. Though everything seemed to be fine at the same time, he felt that something was not as it should be. She appeared in a mysterious way, without his knowledge and checking it beforehand. Each employee of the company went through these procedures. This is the way. If the girl has nothing to hide, why is she acting like this? Why is she fighting with him and trying to cheat on him? It was hard to explain with mere malice. Still, Laura intrigued him more than anyone else. A girl who is like a ghost, a mystery, direct opposition of him, fire for his ice soul. Everything, that could ruin his precisely arranged world. Total chaos. During these short moments spent in her company, he felt so carefree and could remind how is it to laugh.

He was not only bound by duties that forced him to follow the rules and regulations. Adam did that also because as an ex-SWAT he didn’t become acquainted well with the off-duty life. If she doesn't understand it, too bad. Besides, he didn't feel like meddling into new male-female relationships, not after what he had been through with Meg. He must admit that part of him still believes that this isn’t over yet, and he can’t just simply let go. Of course, Faridah was the first one who tried to convince him that being a turtle is a bad idea, but she gave up pretty quickly. So he finally decided that Laura would absolutely remain on the formal side of the list of people he knows. It’s the best protection he could create. Just hide behind a solid wall and exist.

He stopped in front of Frank's office for a moment. He had to gather his thoughts and prepare spiritually to face him. They did not like each other and did not even try to be nice to each other. Jensen tried to settle all matters quickly, and at the same time not to be provoked by his taunts. He entered without knocking, as always. They had pushed aside all formalities long ago. 

"Jensen, it's just you." Frank croaked from behind the monitor. "What do you want? I'm busy." He grunted reluctantly.

"Laura Werner – does this ring any bell?” Adam slowly asked, crossing his arms.

"Of course it does! What a ridiculous kind of question is this?!” he replied angrily and for the first time looked at Jensen. That’s what the head of security wanted to get – his 100% attention.

"That girl works for you, right? What do you know about her?" he asked openly, knowing that Frank was about to point his lack of knowledge and use it as a weapon.

"She is NOT just ‘that girl’!" Pritchard raised his voice. "Laura is the best asset I could ever possess. We understand each other without any word. But you're just a lesser being which knows nothing about our language, codes, and COMPUTERS.” Adam wanted to interrupt and say that she’s not a thing either, but Frank didn’t let him speak. "As for that question of yours - Yes, she's been here for a couple of weeks. Does the head of security, the best of the best, top of the top, pinnacle of wisdom, supported by Megan Reed herself, know nothing about it?" His words were like jellyfish burns, but Jensen kept his poker face.

"If your gracious had honored me and delivered the report as soon as Laura was transferred, I would have known enough." he bit back, pointing out his lack of professionalism. "Meanwhile, I have to come here and waste my time."

"Oh forgive me, dear Adam, but if you knew anything about computers, you would have discovered the e-mail I sent some time ago." Pritchard retorted with a venomous smile of triumph.

"I didn't get any e-mail." The head of security admitted, knowing he was going to regret it.

"Exactly. I'm sorry, but your lack of knowledge is beyond my control. If you could separate spam from the rest, you would have noticed my message."

And he regretted it. The head of cybersecurity won this clash, but the time for revenge will come. 

"If that's all, I'm asking you to get lost."

Jensen did not comment on the last words. He didn't react, he didn't punch him in the face. He did not even slam the door. He just left. Adam knew that Frank would be more pissed off than he would be in a verbal skirmish. He returned to his office, and as he does not like to leave unfinished business, he looked through the mail again as Pritchard had suggested, and this time he checked the spam. To his surprise, there was no message there that could be a report. He was perfidiously lied to. He decided, however, that he would leave it as it was and better focus on watching Miss Werner. To complete the formalities, he searched the files of Sarif Industries employees but found only basic information there. He sighed resignedly, hoping for more than a description of her appearance, a record of achievements, and a position. He leaned against the backrest of an office armchair which tilted slightly back and reflexively looked at the place where Laura had previously stood. He silently admitted that he had acted quite cruelly, and this was not his style, but her arrogance was asking for the lesson of humility he gave her.

He moved his gaze to the watch on the computer screen and found out that it was lunchtime coming, and his stomach was telling him so too. For a long while, Adam thought about what he wanted to eat today, and when he made up his mind, he logged out of his profile, then got up from his chair, scooping up the cigarettes and a lighter from the desk and went up to his coat hanging on a hanger. There was still a coffee stain on it. He had no time to clean it. Jensen looked at the office again, checking if he did not forget anything. He put the collected things into the coat's pocket, threw it over his forearm, and left. With a skilled move, the head of security entered the code at the electronic lock and waited for the light to start flashing. He walked down the stairs swiftly, dressing his coat on the run.

The streets of Detroit greeted him coldly, so he popped up the collar of his coat. Adam looked left and right at the crosswalk and after crossing to the other side he turned left from the main street, agilely avoiding the puddle. After few steps, he rounded a corner and was almost there. Jensen decided not to experiment and choose a place that he knows, and where he is already a regular visitor.

  
***

[ _**The Jackdaw theme.** _ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOfC1PEKt1U)

_The Jackdaw._

Laura finished the soup and drank a cup of rum. At the moment she was in a slightly better mood, and there was already a second mug in front of her. If necessary, she will order a third one, then a fourth. Drinking like a fish wasn’t anything new to her, she did that dozens of times over and over again.

"Welcome aboard, please take your seat and we'll set sail soon." she heard the same words of greeting.

Instinctively she turned her head, and what she saw did not please her at all. The second cup was empty in the blink of an eye. But of course, he had to come here as if it was the only place in the area. Wait, maybe Faridah sent him. Either way, the situation was dire. Escaping from here asap would be the best solution, but Jensen was just heading in her direction and seemed to be on a collision course. It was far too late for evasive maneuvers.

"Dank Farrik!" she thought, drumming nervously with her fingers on the tabletop. "Stay calm, just stay calm. Inhale, exhale. I am one with the Force. The Force is with me." she recited in her mind. "He will hit the Mass Relay in 3... 2... 1…"

"Hello again, Miss Werner. What a meeting." The inevitable arrived. She will be eaten alive. "Lunch break?" he asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Boss gave me a day off, so I’m using this time before he changes his mind." she replied. The rum she had drunk gave her courage, but not enough to reject her fear.

“Mr. Captain, as always, reliable. Same as usual?" the waiter asked with a smile, expecting what the answer would be.

"Yes, and a cup of rum." the head of security replied, taking the cigarettes from his coat pocket.

"For me, twice." Laura asked, waving an empty mug when the waiter finished taking notes.

Adam did not react, although he saw that the girl slowly had enough. Personally, he did not encourage drinking to unconsciousness but also did not like to interfere. He also didn't ask if he could smoke in her company. Laura didn't care today anyway. Under other circumstances, she would probably declare war against him. She looked at him stealthily after a long while. She didn’t even notice when he took off his coat. Adam moved his pointing finger across the datapad screen and inhaled with a cigarette, then shook his head. A waiter placed a bowl of steaming soup in front of Jensen along with the cup of rum, and the other two cups he placed in front of Laura. She drank the first one at once and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She put the mug on the tabletop with a loud tap to draw Jensen's attention. Unfortunately, without a result.

"I can see that curiosity eats you up." she muttered when she saw how much he was engrossed in reading.

Laura assumed that Adam was studying her data right now, so she decided to use it to her advantage.

"I will disappoint you. There is no mention of the transfer in my file, but I will enlighten you. I previously worked at Milwaukee Junction as head of cybersecurity, but the branch there was suspended so I automatically moved under Pritchard's wings. Here is the whole great mystery. Satisfied?" Laura triumphed, she felt the pride bursting through her. At last, Adam got what he deserved. She finally won.

Adam looked at her with a frown before he said anything. "But I'm not reading your file now. Not at all." he replied with disarming frankness and turned the screen towards her.

"Dank Farrik! Dank Farrik!! Dank Farrik!!!" She thought, seeing the latest news from Picus. Once again, she was humiliated by this idiot. She won't forgive him. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Meanwhile, rum started to do its job, Laura felt that she was losing more and more contact with reality, but that didn't stop her from drinking the last cup.

"I must admit I appreciate your gesture. It's all clear now, so I won't bother you anymore." Saying this, in a decisive move, he took away her cup before she could empty it.

He didn't say anything, but the little gesture affected her so much that she couldn't stay with him any longer.

"Oh, I lingered here for too long, I should go now. Goodbye Mr. Jensen." she muttered as she stood up. Laura quickly grabbed her backpack and rushed to the bar to pay the bill.

Adam was surprised by her behavior, there was clearly something strange in it. Miss Werner looked like she saw a ghost. After a while, his eyes fell on the hoodie hanging on the backrest of the opposite chair. He wanted to call Laura, but she had already left. He was sitting alone with an unburned cigarette and a half-empty cup of rum. A trail of smoke curled lazily through the air. He sighed, putting out the cigarette butt.


	5. The Crunchy Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam doesn't give up in his investigation. He's determined to know more about mysterious girl. But will he stay professional?

_Detroit - Laura’s apartment._

  
  
After another grand failure, she merely dreamt of finding herself at home and not leaving it for a long time. She endured every loss badly, and there were far too many of them in a short time. Stalker slept when she came back, fortunately, today he didn’t do anything foolish. Laura left her backpack next to the plain violet sofa and only just now realized that she had lost her hoodie. She was so furious after the encounter with Jensen, that even the cold didn’t bother her on the way home more than him.   
  
"I likely left it at the office." she thought and went straight to the shower.  
  
Today, however, the past did not want to stay in the past. It didn’t drift down her face with drops of flowing water but invaded her like a swarm of enraged wasps. How many more times can she be humiliated so hard before she finally succeeds in this unequal struggle? Should she fight at all? Perhaps it is better not to interfere with Adam, as Faridah had suggested, and allow him to fulfill his official duty. Naturally, this is the wisest solution, but the problem is Jensen can discover her intentions, then everything will fall apart like a house of cards. Avoiding provoking him should eliminate the key reason for looking for dirt on her. At least theoretically. Laura turned off the water and stood still for a while in the cloud of steam filling the cabin. Finally, she wrapped herself in a towel and reached for another one for her wet hair. It's good that she has a day off tomorrow, maybe the head of security will forget about everything during this time and things will return back to normal.  
  
Dressed in blue cotton pajamas, warm beige socks, and a dark blue bathrobe, she went to the kitchen intending to make herself a cup of cocoa. She sat on the sofa, curling her legs, and warmed her hands on a hot cup. She still felt the rum buzzing in her head. It was then that the memory of the moment when Adam did not let her drink more came back to her. Once somebody did the same. Once, somewhere in the misty past. The memory awakened a dormant sadness that she did not reveal to anyone. A longing for something she had lost forever. Laura wanted so badly to alter the past, to perceive the faces that slowly blurred in time.

Stalker jumped onto her knees, yawned, and fell asleep curling up in a pretzel shape. Laura sat for a long time, in this gloomy silence, sipping cocoa, which had long gone cold. When she finished, she placed the mug on the table, carefully slid the cat from her lap onto the sofa, then got up and stepped to the terrace window, which occupied most of the wall. Laura noticed that in the Chiron building on one of the floors the blinds in the windows were slowly raising, and right afterward a pale yellowish light illuminated the interior of the apartment. Her eyes instantly caught someone's silhouette moving back and forth. An ornate, ancient clock just chimed out at 11 pm. Laura’s mind was already overwhelmed by a fierce wave of tiredness. She usually liked sitting until late at night, which didn’t even bother her to get up early, but lately, it has been challenging to force herself to do so. From the vast living room, she walked into the bedroom, swiftly took off her bathrobe, hurled it on the armchair, and sank into soft linen.

The dream came instantly and rapidly turned into a nightmare. She was delirious for a long time before she woke up screaming, and drenched in sweat. 

"How could you bitch?!"

"Stop blaming yourself."

"You're nobody!"

"You can’t live like this."

"One day I’ll slay you!"

She still clearly heard shreds of conversations, and the images visualized in her subconscious were vivid and paralyzed her to the depths. Images she did not want to recall.  
  
She was breathing shallowly, restlessly, and in the fallen silence, she heard the pounding of her own heart that seemed to gallop like a herd of wild horses. A faint moonlight fell through the window, mingled with hated city lights. She wanted to get up, but as soon as she did, she felt dizzy. Laura fell heavily on the bed, at first not comprehending what was happening to her. She turned on a lamp on the bedside table and took a thermometer from a drawer. Running in the heavy rain performed its job. She had a high temperature and chills.  
  
Once again she tried to get up, this time she managed to do so. She walked carefully from the bedroom to the kitchen where she kept her home medicine kit. She stuffed herself with everything she could and went back to bed. Laura didn’t sleep until the crack of dawn, observing the light lazily flowing across the ceiling, listening to mutter engines of cars passing by there and back again, drunken chants and loud laughs. It was around 7 am when her exciting activity was interrupted by the ringing phone. Laura lazily reached for it and cursed seeing Archn3rd0 picture on the screen.

"Hello, boss, what's going on this time?" she muttered reluctantly and coughed a few times.  
  
"Change of plans. I want to see you at work in half of an hour." he ordered with a tone that disallowed the objection.

"But..." she tried explaining herself, but to no avail.

"No 'buts."

He hung up leaving her without any choice. Laura felt so rotten, she miraculously managed to achieve an acceptable appearance. She would most willingly stay in bed now under a warm duvet. Even the sun that peeked out from under the clouds did not help her to improve her mood. It took her more time than usual to reach the company. She already knew what awaited her. Laura walked through the hall in no hurry, feeling like the fever was getting worse. Half of what Pritchard was saying she didn’t even hear.  
  
"Now grab these papers and go to the office." he commanded. It was the first time she had seen him so angry. Anyway, she didn't feel like asking what had stung him in the ass and whether he was 6' 1" tall, dark brown hair and grey-blue eyes.

The stack of papers was extremely heavy as if it weighed a ton. She walked down the corridor blind and deaf to everything. She didn't even know who she was passing by and with whom she was greeting. When she finally got to the office, she threw everything on the dark grey sofa, sitting down heavily.

***

  
  
_Head of cyber-security - Frank Pritchard's office._

Pritchard was still bubbling with anger for an unexplained reason, and now that Adam was here, anger has evolved into fury.

"Jensen, I already ordered you not to stick your fat nose in my affairs!" He grumbled even worse than usual.

"And I’m informing you that if you don't change your behavior, I'll have to report it to Sarif. I've been turning a blind eye to your outbursts for too long."

"Oh please, feel free to do so! Run with complaining like a kid whose candy was taken." he waved his hand carelessly.

"You clearly want someone else to take your place." he hit his weak point.

Frank neatly cared about his position and was totally crazy about being top of the top. Each of his subordinates was always one step or preferably ten behind him. 

"Furthermore, Sarif will not be delighted when it comes out that you lied about the report." he shot at Frank with another argument.

„Bang bang, that flatfeet shot me down.” Pritchard thought.

He was standing against the wall, and Jensen was his executor. His anger was growing stronger and stronger, but he was unable to get out of the impasse. This time this ex-cop won, but only this time.

"Okay, okay I surrender. You’ve won. Let it be your way." muttered. "If that's all..." he didn't have time to finish his sentence, Adam left before Frank ordered him to get lost.

  
  
***

  
  
_Head of security - Adam Jensen's office._

Adam returned to his workplace and closed the door from inside. He didn't want to see anyone right now unless the boss himself requires something. As it was customary, he lit a cigarette and poured himself some coffee. He would prefer Whisky, but he never drank while on duty. He reflexively looked at Laura's hoodie lying on the couch. He should have given it back to her but somehow he didn’t have the time or the inclination to do so. From his trouser pocket, he took out an old, police notebook and sat down in front of the monitor. Jensen pushed a large pile of papers with a record of less important matter to the right side of the desk, almost near its edge. With a few clicks of computer mouse once again he opened Laura's file and rewrote more significant data into the notebook, adding his thoughts.

Adam read it several times, tapping the pen tip against the armrest of his office chair. He nodded, closed his notebook, and placed it back in his trouser pocket. He wanted to finally return Laura the hoodie and get it over with. But instead of bothering with visiting her, he decided to examine the view from the camera, set at an angle, from which he could see if she was at her workplace. The office was empty, and Jensen sighed in resignation. At first, he thought she had gone out somewhere for a while, but the lights were turned off and it wasn’t lunchtime either.  
  
He was disturbed by an insistent knocking on the door which reminded him that he had been locked up here for a long time. He just hoped it wasn't Frank who was trying to make his day unpleasant again.

"I already thought you were gone, can I come in?" The sight of Faridah made his mood a little better.

"Yeah, I have nothing to do right now." Jensen replied, letting her inside. 

"Coffee?" he asked, already knowing what the answer would be.

"Yes, please." Fly Girl replied stepping to the glass wall.

Jensen, however, couldn't explain the phenomenon of his office. A place like any other.  
  
"Friendly visit or do you have any problem?" the head of security asked as he handed her a mug of hot coffee with milk.

"Friendly don't worry. I'm not going to match you up. Not today." she laughed, having a sip from the mug. "Do you recall that small cinema which focuses on good, old movies?"  
  
"Of course, I've been there a couple of times with Meg." he nodded. 

"Why do you ask? Something interesting caught your eye?"

"Oh, nothing special." she teased with him. "Just "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" coming soon. Would you like going?" Faridah looked at him and took another few sips.  
  
She knew very well that under this thick husk of indifference Adam jumps with joy like a child.  
  
"Faridah, you know how to make me feel better." the head of security admitted openly. "Of course I won't miss this opportunity. Count me in."

"Great. I'll book the tickets as soon as they're available. Maybe for Saturday evening?"  
  
"Saturday sounds good, Sarif is unlikely to want anything from me."

"So we have an appointment then." she drunk the rest of the coffee in one gulp and placed a mug on the desk. Malik wanted to leave, but Adam stopped her.

"Will you grant me a favor? Ex-cop asked by reaching for the hoodie. "Laura left it in 'The Jackdaw'. I tried giving it back, but we kept passing each other. Maybe you'll have more luck."  
  
Faridah sighed. She knew this way of handling uncomfortable matters very well. Adam avoided Laura like fire, but could their relationship be that bad? It's not his style, even if he doesn't like someone, he always resolves problems on his own.

"If she left her hoodie in the restaurant, they would have to meet there. It is possible that then they jumped at each other's throats again." Malik thought. She decided, however, that she would not interfere. In different circumstances, Faridah would tell Adam what she thinks about his attitude, but if Jensen has any hidden reasons, it's his business.  
  
"Sure, I intend pulling Laura out for lunch again so no problem." Malik smiled gently.  
  
Jensen would almost have told her that Laura wasn't in the office, but he held his tongue at the last minute. When Faridah left, he looked at the documents with displeasure. He didn't like the paperwork, there was always nothing but ridiculous things he had to deal with as head of security. Most of them were cases that could be completely solved by those who were involved with a tiny drop of goodwill. 

Adam turned over the stack of pages so that the ones on the bottom were now on top. Throughout the time he spent in the police he managed to notice the more important matters always landed on the bottom. That forced him to look at the less important ones first. He doesn’t support this practice here too, but he doesn’t want to start unnecessary quarrels with Athene either. He figured out her method. She doesn't know about it and let it stay this way.

Jensen left the company later than usual, he wanted to get over the arrears so he spent more time on it. On the way home, he restocked his supplies of Crunchy Pirate cereal, Whisky, and Golden Icarus cigarettes. He ate his meals in the city snack bars and restaurants, so he didn't use to have a full fridge. Besides he didn't feel like cooking for himself.  
  
He was in the Chiron building about a quarter of an hour later. The lights went on and the blind lifted up automatically as soon as he entered, welcomed by the nice, calm virtual voice of a woman. Adam put the paper shopping bag on the kitchen counter and throw his coat over the sofa with a careless gesture. On the way to the window, he poured himself a glass of Whisky and lit a cigarette. He looked down thoughtfully, trying to guess which window belonged to Laura's apartment.


	6. The Mysterious Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cold isn't the biggest problem that Laura encountered. Adam isn't a problem either. There's something far worse than that...

_Laura's apartment. / The streets of Detroit._  
  
Laura still couldn't believe that Frank had sent her home so suddenly with an order not to show up at the company until she will be fully recovered. Of course, he wouldn't be himself if he hadn't given her some extra papers to look over. After all, free time should be put to good use. For the moment, Laura had other things on her mind. She was just about to leave for a doctor's appointment. Sarif undoubtedly cares about his employees, and she will be examined today. Usually, she had to wait until the next day at least. Dressed in a long-sleeved, orange crew neck sweater, leather biker jacket, dark blue jeans, and biker boots, she left the house. The corridors were quiet today, no quarrels, no parties, no usual cooked food smell. Fortunately, she didn't bump into a nosey neighbor either.  
  
The medication accomplished their job and Laura felt less terrible, but only a little. She could call a cab or go by subway, but for the time being, she was short of money and should save some for a rainy day. So she had to walk. Luckily it was a relatively warm day for the fall season, and the sun cheered her up a bit. Laura took a quick look at the huge screen from which Eliza Cassan was broadcasting the latest live news from Picus TV. Whenever she looked at her, it seemed to have something artificial about her, but she couldn't pinpoint what. She passed by passionate lovers who were close to having sex on the street. Several times she was hit by strangers hurrying somewhere, but she did not possess the strength to argue about the stupid ‘Sorry’. She took out smartphone from the handbag and plugged in headphones. A moment later music muffled unpleasant sounds of the city.

  
[There's not just lies and hate](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn3Gu_d5cxk)  
behind the make up on my face  
but I'm so good in playing this game  
I played the game all day, all night  
A million times I crossed the line  
but in the end just anguish remains

When everything's destroyed  
We find a heart inside the void

She saw the policemen checking the ID of some shady types. Laura turned right and crossed the street at the traffic lights. A few minutes later she was at the local clinic. Several people were waiting in a large waiting room. The phone was ringing in the distance and children, as usual, were making noise, despite their parents warnings. Laura approached the reception desk, separated from the rest of the room by a glass pane. The receptionist was filling out some overdue paperwork on the computer, but seeing her she stopped instantly and smiled kindly.

"How can I aid you?" she asked politely, fixing her blonde hair tied up in a bun.

"I have an appointment for today." Werner replied, gently bringing the smartphone closer to the reader.

"That's right." the woman confirmed right after seeing the data sent from the phone. "Consulting-room number 16. The doctor will see you in a moment." her bangs moved as she tilted her head and glanced back at the monitor.  
  
When Laura stepped back from the reception, a woman went back to work. It had been maybe half an hour when Werner left the consulting-room. On her way home, she stopped by the pharmacy to purchase some prescribed medicine and also did some grocery shopping, just in case. During her week off, she preferred limiting going out to the absolute minimum, and preferably hole up inside four walls and catch up on some good old movies. Unfortunately, Frank had other plans for her. He was already messing up with her free time, and it was only a matter of time that he’ll come up with something new. As the auburn-haired girl was leaving the store, she was accidentally hit by a stranger. The paper bag fell on the ground and several apples rolled out from the inside.

"I'm terribly sorry. I'm so clumsy." the stranger said politely. Gazing at her with brown, slightly frightened, eyes.

He looked completely ordinary. Man in his late thirties with round face, more or less three days facial hair and black hair cut short.

"Let me help you." he offered, starting gathering scattered things.

She initially looked at a dark red sweatshirt underneath his warm, gray jacket. When he stood up and flicked the dust off his knees, she noticed frayed jeans and high-hop sneakers. The man froze for a moment, examining her closely.

"I think we've met in the past." he slowly said, squinting his right eye and pointing his finger at Laura.

"I don't think so." she replied, trying to avoid further conversation.

"But of course! Ten years ago in Berlin, Lemon-Lime techno club." stranger was trying to help Laura in refreshing her memory.

"I don't remember, I really do. Sorry but I'm in a hurry. " Laura fixed the paper bags she was wrapping with her arms and was ready to leave.

"Evie. I just recalled your name." he suddenly said self-satisfied.

"I'm sorry but I'm not Evie." she cut the conversation.

The unknown man stared after her for a moment longer, then moved off in his own direction. Laura quickened her pace. She felt insecure after this conversation as if the past had suddenly started coming back. This uncertainty quickly evolved into fear, a panicky kind of fear that takes your breath away, crawls in the recesses of your soul, and awaits for the precise moment. Loneliness didn't serve her at all. She should create at least the appearance of being surrounded by friends. Maybe tighten relations with Faridah would help? After all, she’s the only person, who doesn’t hate her for now.

"Can I assist you, Miss Werner?"

That voice again. Jensen's fake-sweet, slightly hoarse voice.  
  
"But of course." she replied with a disarming smile, handing him both bags.  
  
Adam wasn't the person she wished to encounter at the moment, but she shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. The head of security at her side looked like a purebred bodyguard from a top agency. Notably that he was much taller than her. The only thing missing was dark glasses.

"Are you following me?" The auburn-haired girl disturbed the silence with a question she quickly regretted.

"I'm unused to following people, and certainly not after working hours." he replied briefly.  
  
She could have sworn she noticed how the corner of his lips twitched in a smirk.  
  
"I see." the girl nodded. "So it's only a pure coincidence?" Laura inquired, glancing at him.  
  
"Not at all." Jensen denied and explained. "I just happen to live over there in the Chiron Building."

"Fuck..." she thought, feeling herself blushing. Miss Werner turned out to be an absolute idiot again.

"Are you feeling unwell?" Adam asked with honest concern.

"Just a cold, nothing serious." Hacker girl tried to provide a convenient excuse, but luckily they had already arrived at her house door. "Much appreciated for your help, and now if you'll excuse me, I should get back to bed and take my medication."

"In that case, I wish you a swift recovery." he replied, handing her the bags.

She watched as he nimbly slipped between the cars, keeping his hands in his coat pockets. A moment later he reached the entrance and disappeared behind the door of the Chiron Building.

  
  
***

  
_Laura's apartment._

Finally, she found a shelter among the walls of her home, away from the whole world, and above all from Adam. Laura decided that for her own benefit she would tame this Cerberus, to stand by her side when the past will claim for her. Jensen is intelligent and only by adapting to his level, she may get a tiny chance of success. Her thoughts were hanged in time as she changed into a blue Grumpy Cat t-shirt and black sweatpants. Right after that she fed the cat and made herself cocoa. This always cheers her up. Before leaving the kitchen, she unpacked her groceries, took medicines and smartphone with her. Laura put pills and a bottle of syrup on the bedside table. With a sour face, the girl realized that this illness costs her a lot of money.

Again she found herself in the same habit of sipping cocoa and staring at the Chiron Building. Large terrace window gave her a pretty good view of Detroit. Today she didn't mind the bright neon lights, nor those emanating from other buildings. Today they were indifferent to Laura because something else bothered her more. It had been a long time since she had felt such fear. Those few minutes spent with Adam gave her a sense of security. A certainty that nothing bad could happen during that time. Now she was completely alone, and although she was protected by the walls, it was only a false feeling. Cold walls are no match for warm, strong arms.  
  
As the minutes passed, Laura continued watching what was happening in each window of the Chiron Building. The familiar figure reappeared and stopped. Now she was pretty sure it might be him. The irrational feeling that he was looking at her took hold of her mind. Was it even possible he could see her from such a distance? Laura felt her head spinning. Suddenly legs bent under her like thin, dry sticks. The cup of unfinished cocoa shattered on the ground, creating a wet, brown stain. She lost consciousness only for a moment, but it felt as if some piece of her life had been ripped out like pages from a notebook. The fever was back again, followed by a wave of fatigue. Laura took the prescribed medication and changed into her pajamas. She didn't even know when she fell asleep.

In the morning she habitually reached for her phone to check what time it was. She noticed one new message but figured it was probably some stupid advertisement about penis enlargement or lottery winning.

"Are you okay Miss Werner?"

Immediately after reading it, questions arose. First, how did he get her number? Secondly, why does he suddenly care about her? Third, isn't it just another trick? She looked closely at the time the message was sent and concluded it was around the time she fell. So he must have seen it then, or the content of the message is a pure coincidence. Laura had limited faith in coincidences, though.

"I was a bit knocked off my feet. Don't worry, Mr. Jensen, I'm still alive."

She didn't have to wait long for a reply.

"That's a relief, but be careful. The company could lose a lot."

"The company or you?"

That was the end of the courtesy exchange. Jensen either wouldn't or couldn't write her back. Laura rolled out of bed, slipped into her bathrobe, and went to the kitchen. She had to eat anything, although she did not feel like it at all. The fever was now accompanied by a runny nose and a cough. Her head ached as if someone had hit it with a hammer. The medicines helped a little, but only a little. For the rest of the day, she wandered like a spectre through the haunted mansion full of tissues, and tried to stop thinking about that mysterious man.


	7. The Hunter and his prey.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past is still there. Staying in the shadows reveals itself slowly. It's waiting. Will Laura stand alone against it? Or will there be someone to protect her? Maybe she isn't the one who needs protection?

_Laura's apartment._

It was around 10 am when Laura heard the sound of an incoming message. She hadn't received anything but spam in a long time so she didn’t get used to thinking otherwise. A faint thought nested around her head, that maybe it was Adam writing back, but she quickly dismissed it. This time it was just an advertisement. She put the phone back on the nightstand with great disappointment. What was she imaging? That he will suddenly care about her? Hacker girl thought, wrapping herself in a bathrobe and turned on the radio on her way to the kitchen.

_Oh how I wish_  
_For soothing rain_  
_All I wish is to dream again_  
_My loving heart_  
_Lost in the dark_  
_For hope I'd give my everything_

She felt terrible overwhelming fatigue, which was not caused by illness, but something worse than fever and cold. Something that burned her from the inside. Something she could not reject or simply let go of. At the company she was occupied with work, listening to Frank mumbling or fighting with Jensen, and could not think too much. Now everything fell on her suddenly, and she was standing alone against fears.

Laura could still evoke the memory of Adam's touch on her hand as he handed over the bags. Why is she thinking about this so much? She only needs him for her own purposes to use and abandon like an unwanted toy. It's as simple as that. She had practised similar methods so many times, so another one is just routine. And yet something had changed, something was limiting her. In the mirror, she saw that hated reflection again. Green eyes filled with sadness, pointing to the guilt, reminding about sins. It didn't want to disappear, so she helped it with one swift punch of her fist.

"Fuck!" The auburn-haired girl screamed furiously as she watched at the blood dripping down from her fingers into the snow-white sink.

She pulled a first aid kit from the cabinet and carelessly bandaged her hand. Now at least she could see the real her, the broken, lonely and desperate one.

  
***

  
_Sarif Industries. Head of Security – Adam Jensen's office._

Adam couldn't concentrate today. He nonetheless had to solve unimportant matters which should be dealt with by his subordinates. There was always someone who wanted something. Head of Security simply had enough, so he called the people responsible for the current state of matters on the carpet. Faridah entered the office at the time when they were standing in a line, waiting for being scold.

"If I have to do your duties one more time, I swear heads will fall!" he shouted at them.

It was unusual behavior, even weird. Jensen always dealt with problems using common sense, he raised his voice sometimes, but this fury was odd.

"I'll come by later." she informed and U-turned.

"But stay and see who I have to work with." he replied with anger in his voice, then picked up several files from his desk.

"No, no. It’s not my concern." she stated and left.

Malik was waiting outside, leaning against the balcony railing, and observing the lobby. Even from that place, she heard almost every word.

"More than half of these documents are trivial matters! For example, this: 'Quarrel in the ladies restroom.' or 'A rowdy customer.' Oh, here’s the best one: 'Purity First wrote on the helipad a message for David Sarif: ‘Stick those augs into your ass.’ And a threat that they are going to burn down that company of his." Adam closed the file and slammed it against the desktop." Goddammit, what the hell are they paying you for?! How could they even get on our helipad?!"

The security guards remain silent, glancing at each other. The situation was serious indeed, and neither of them could answer the question.

"Get out of here." the Head of Security growled.

When everyone left, Faridah stepped into the office. Leaning against the wall, with her arms crossed over the chest, and shook her head with great disapproval.

"Adam..." she started, but he interrupted her.

"Stay out of this." he hissed, feeling that she wanted to lecture him. "You already stated it was not your concern."

"Indeed, I did, but now I have to interfere." she continued undeterredly. Malik knew Jensen well enough to be sure that he would listen to her opinion first and then kick her out. "That's not like you, Adam. Seriously, did you have to go that far? It is true boys have gotten lazy, but these screams are not going to raise their morale at all. "

"I was supposed to buy them a round at the bar?!" he said irritably.

"That wouldn't be such a terrible idea." Fly Girl muttered quietly, but he heard anyway.

"Get out and leave me alone." Jensen ordered, and she obeyed.

Faridah was right, his behavior was utterly inappropriate, but he couldn't admit it. Miss Werner seems to be the reason for Jensen’s reactions today. He missed that annoying, quarrelsome auburn-haired girl to the point that he was starting to lose his mind. He promised himself to stay away, not to get involved, to be cold and surly, but he was only a human. He felt Laura’s scent until now, and his hands remembered every part of her body he touched. His seemingly unfeeling heart almost lost its rhythm when she fell down yesterday. He felt so helpless, and he didn't like being weak. He lit a cigarette and stepped to the glass wall. Below, people kept coming and going. He was pleased to see that his subordinates finally got to work.

***

_Laura's apartment._

Laura felt better, apart from her sore hand, so she decided to dive into the pile of documents Frank had given her. She was sitting on the sofa with her legs crossed and the laptop on her lap. It was still early afternoon when the phone rang. She raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise when she saw it was Faridah.

"Hey, Faridah what a surprise. Did something happen?" she asked, trying to show at least a hint of mirth and interest.

"Can I come over today?" she didn’t beat around the bush.

“Sure, I have plenty of time so feel free to come over.” Laura encouraged.

"After 5 pm would be OK?"

"Naturally, no problem. Write down my address somewhere: 423 Gd. River Rd., Apt 303." she dictated slowly.

"Oh, I know where it is. See you soon."

"Bye, bye."

After the conversation had been over, she returned to work. Hacker girl noticed that Frank, as usual, gave her the worst things he had. Since he is so good, he should not be afraid of his position. Pritchard seems to stay in the company all day long, eating cyber boosts. In his veins was already flowing caffeine instead of blood. Mentioning the caffeine, Laura put the laptop aside and went to brew herself a cup of hot black coffee. Stalker jumped on the cupboard wanting to attract attention. In fact, he wanted to announce her that he was hungry, and she must feed him immediately. As Laura waited for the coffee machine to brew the hot drink, she poured Crunchy Pirate cereal into a bowl and then fulfilled her cat's wish.

When Miss Werner reached for a laptop, she noticed that she had received an email. "I guess Frank wants to keep me busy." she thought while opening the message.

It wasn't sent by Pritchard, but the sender, nicknamed Red_Dragon, she also couldn't associate with anyone she recalled. At first, she thought someone had made a mistake, but the attached photo with the caption 'It was you!' made her shiver. At the last moment, she managed to grab the computer, which almost fell to the ground. The coffee mug tipped over and its content flowed onto the carpet in a rapid stream. Horror coated her face like solidified mud and she froze for a while. In an instant, she felt exposed, like an animal on the hunt. Unluckily, she did not know who the hunter was. No matter how far she ran from the past it was still one step behind her. What did it desire this time?

The doorbell reminded Laura that Faridah was visiting her. She saw her generous smile as soon as she opened the door.

"Hey, I found out you don’t feel well so I came with a friendly visit and brought something yummy." Fly Girl said, showing a box with the famous pastry shop logo on it. 

"Nothing can be hidden in this company." Laura managed to laugh.

“By the way, I also brought your hoodie. You left it at The Jackdaw. Adam wanted to give it back to you, but you kept passing each other. "

Laura wanted to comment on her words, specifically the part about Jensen, but considering how fiercely Faridah was defending this Grumpy Cerberus she desisted from any kind of taunts. Instead, she decided to be a good girl.

"Oh thank you, I thought it was lost for good." She skillfully played up the delight. "Please, feel like at home." With a gesture of her hand, she invited Fly Girl into the living room.

Faridah walked through the hallway, which walls were made of red brick, glancing in the mirror along the way, and instinctively ran her fingers through short black hair. When Laura disappeared in the kitchen with the box of sweets, she looked around the vast living room. Walls were covered with green and beige vertical striped wallpaper. A purple sofa stood against the far wall, with night-stands on both sides. There was a painting above it, Fly Girl thought for a moment because its title just slipped from her mind. "The Creation of Adam." she thought with satisfaction.

"Coffee, tea?" Malik heard a question coming from the kitchen.

"Coffee with milk, please." she replied sitting down on the sofa next to a pile of folders.

The clock had just struck 5 pm, Faridah looked to her left and evaluated that her friend was surrounding herself with expensive things. Her gaze stuck on the laptop screen that Laura had forgotten to turn off. She could have sworn that the figure on the picture was Miss Werner, but she did not resemble the present one at all. The hostess interrupted her further observation when she brought a plate with cake. Malik would have had a chance to look at the picture longer if Laura had not taken the computer with her. She was left with only her guesses. However, she noticed a certain nervousness in Laura's behavior. It was as if she wanted to hide something cause she saw too much. Faridah directed her attention to the housekeeper's carelessly bandaged hand.

"What happened to your hand?" she asked while placing a piece of cake on a plate.

"Stalker, as usual, was checking if the cups are bouncing. I injured myself during cleaning up." she explained, hoping Fly Girl would believe her. "Nothing serious." hacker girl assured.

Fly Girl didn't believe her. Laura was too nervous to take her words just like that. Interfering in other people's business wasn't in her nature, but this time she felt she had to react. This girl was hiding something, and Faridah was determined to uncover the secret. As Laura placed the coffee cups on the table a bandage stained with blood slipped from her hand. Faridah raised an eyebrow at the sight of the wound, which didn't look like a cut from a mug shard.

"That doesn't look good." she muttered, shifting her gaze to Miss Werner's face.

"It looks terrible, but it's really nothing."

Malik gave up. After all, Adam is the bad cop who pulls out information by force. She, in turn, will try to gain the trust of a new friend. Maybe then she reveal her something willingly. For now she concentrated on sipping coffee and admiring the jukebox standing against the wall to her right. Stalker came to check what kind of intruder dared to break into his kingdom. When Fly Girl scratched him behind the ear he accepted her with a loud murmur of satisfaction.

"Do you live here alone? Don't you feel overwhelmed by this space?" she asked reaching for the second slice of cake.

"I spend most of my time at the company, and if not there I still have extra work to do, you know what Frank is like. So I don't have much time to think."

"That's practically like me. I have to be available because you never know when a flight is going to happen. Most of them are scheduled, but often I'm suddenly needed."

"There are no other pilots?" she raised her eyebrows with a genuine surprise.

"Sure there are, but you understand by yourself. Faridah is the best and only one." she sighed shaking her head with resignation. "And how are you doing after the transfer?"

"I'm used to it. Moving from one office to another is nothing compared to wandering  
around the world."

"So it seemed to me that you are not an American."

"Yes and no. It's pretty complicated." she bit her lip, poking her piece of cake with a fork.

Malik realized she had come across some painful topic, so she tried changing it.

"You don't have to…"

Laura shook her head, took a deep breath.

"My parents were Americans, but they decided we would leave here. They didn't like the hustle and bustle, the bright lights, and the alienation. We settled in Sweden in Uppsala. Life flowed very differently there. Every breath was unforgettable, every minute brought something new. You could calm down and commune with nature."

"And yet you are here now." she interjected, looking at her curiously.

"I am, but it's like I wasn't. After my parents had died, I wandered around the world and caught various jobs until finally, with a load of experience, I returned to my old port.

Fly Girl suddenly realized that this girl was monstrously lonely. She didn't mention anything about friends, boyfriends, or distant family. She felt her heart squeeze and was unable to drink her coffee. Malik didn't want to continue asking questions either. She got up from the sofa and walked to the terrace window. A moment later Laura joined her, under the silent pretext of watching Chiron Building. The blinds were drawn on the windows, which she thought belonged to Adam's apartment. He was probably still at the company. Just why did she care so much?

A quarter of an hour later Faridah left, and the apartment was strangely empty again. Only now she was overwhelmed by her illness; she had started coughing horribly and had used up probably a dozen tissues. When she had dealt with the cleaning, she placed an armchair by the window, moved the table over, and arranged the files on it. She made herself some cocoa, grabbed her laptop and a blanket, then made herself a comfortable nest in the armchair. She dived into the sea of numbers, signs, and commands, every now and then looking expectantly into those familiar windows. If only there was a command to get out of this swamp…


	8. The great plan.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam is absent from the company for several days. Laura has an elaborate plan.  
> What can go wrong if everything has been done legally?

_Sarif Industries - Headquarters._

The whole week passed way too fast. After the illness actually only a memory remained. Yet the bandage on Laura’s hand still reminded her about the photo e-mailed by an unknown person. For the first time, she was joyful to see the large foyer and the round, red desk of the reception area at Sarif Industries. The bright lights of informative audio and visual displays didn’t bother her at all. Being here again was like salvation, like being reborn. Even the sight of Adam settling some dispute didn't spoil her mood. Laura felt safe somewhat knowing that he’s on duty. Following the new plan, she nodded to Jensen in greeting as he looked at her. The auburn-haired girl decided that today she would stand out of the crowd. Apparently, she succeeded because the head of security could not look away from her for a long time. She was wearing a long-sleeved x-line knee-length dress in a light shade of blue with a pattern of navy blue dots. The whole was completed with not very thick navy blue tights and Mary Jane type shoes. 

"What a sacrifice. Let's hope it pays off for me." she thought, taking off her gray coat and slowly walking up the stairs.

She didn't even have time to reach the second floor when the head of security caught up with her. The plan is working all too well since he is already following her. However, she tried hiding her pride. She straightened her handbag hanging on her right shoulder and smiled kindly. Oh yes, with a smile, always with a smile…

"Hello, Miss Werner. How are you feeling?" Adam asked while taking off his long, black coat.

"Much obliged, for your concern. I feel better now." she replied, still smiling.

Jensen glanced at her bandaged hand but didn't mention a word about it. Laura, in turn, noticed that he had cleaned his coat and was wearing that awful brown turtleneck sweater again.

"That's good because I'm afraid we'll have to repeat the personal search."

"Fuck, fuck! Rot in hell you sneaky bastard!" she thought, but still didn't give him even a hint that she was nervous. "But of course, no problem."

At most, Frank will slay her, no big deal. A few minutes later they were already in Adam's office. Knowing the procedures, she did not wait for him to ask for the handbag but handed it over to him willingly. The head of security was examining the Crunchy Pirate's cereal box again and to her misfortune this time he confiscated it. „And shit just hit the fan.” Laura thought but remained calm, unshaken by even a hint of fear. He saw no trembling of her hands, no drops of sweat on her temples, no nervous biting of her lip. Jensen saw nothing because the girl standing before him was now like an oak, not aspen. Though hurricanes raged deep inside her, outside there was a mask. She didn't even flinch when he touched her, as his fingers wandered unhurriedly along her sides, as his hands tightened on her shoulders, forearms, and hands. She didn't sigh, didn't say a single unpleasant word.

"That would be all, you're free to go." he announced in a cool, formal tone.

Miss Werner gathered her things, said goodbye, and left. She was pretty sure she could feel his gaze on her back until she closed the door behind her. Laura ran straight to the restroom. Standing alone in front of a mirror she could hear her heart pounding wildly in her chest and feel how muffled emotions were wielding her like a puppet. She splashed ice-cold water on her face, letting drops drip from her eyelashes, nose, and chin. She was supposed to be indifferent, but meanwhile, she was burning with fire. Instead of thinking about how to retrieve a box of cereal out of his office, she thought about Adam himself. That gentle touch of his, the one she could not resist. The memory of his hot breath near her neck made Laura shiver. It was so hard to just stand there and pretend indifference, so damn hard…

She wiped the wet face in a handkerchief, fixed hair up in a ponytail, and carried things to her office. Laura stayed there for a moment to gather her thoughts. Then she rushed to Pritchard’s office, wrapping with her arms a pile of documents he had given to her. She was already prepared for his speech criticizing her work, but Frank only managed to open his mouth. She had checked every command, number, and symbol so, whether he wanted it or not, he had to keep the lecture for another occasion.

As she left Frank’s office, Adam and Faridah flashed before her eyes. Laura overheard something about Sarif had given Jensen an assignment quite far from Detroit so he required a pilot for three days. This valuable information instantly made her feel better. As soon as the auburn-haired girl returned to her office, she began to plot an elaborate plan about switching cereal boxes in Adam's office.

First, the cameras. Hacking can be risky, so something more discreet is needed here. Shreds of conversations between two female employees reached her from the corridor. They mentioned something about interchanging shifts. That's when Laura came up with the idea of swapping the records from the cameras monitoring the entrance to the head of security's office for a brief moment. She would have approximately 5 minutes to get in, complete the task, and get out. The last part of the plan is covering the tracks. Every single file has to be deleted as accurately as possible. Using gloves is mandatory. You never can tell how thorough Jensen may be if he finds out. The best time for operation ‘Crunchy Pirate’ is late evening. The company is almost empty, and security guards are shifting.

She was looking forward to the next day. On her way home Laura stopped by the store to buy necessary items. She hadn't felt such anxiety since the team was disbanded.

  


***

_Laura's apartment._

  
Tired, she fell on the bed, but Stalker decided that he would not leave her alone. He jumped on her back, while she was lying pronely and curled up in a ball. She will be his sleeping place for tonight. Laura didn't have the strength to protest. The night passed calmly, surprisingly, without any nightmares. She got up earlier so as not to expose herself to Pritchard's wrath. She calculated that she could be late at most two times in a week, and on the third one she’ll get ridiculously trivial things to accomplish. However, that was not what drove her and forced to act. The zero hour would soon strike. She felt the old, already forgotten excitement as if she was about to experience an unforgettable orgasm. She loved balancing on the edge, playing with fire, risking everything. And what could be better than breaking into the head of the security’s office?

A quarter of an hour later she left the apartment wearing a gray sweater, dark brown pants, and black sneakers. On the run, she put on a warm jacket, holding a sandwich in her teeth and a backpack in her hand. She never ate her favorite cereal before the action, that was her rule. Laura thought about taking the subway today, but she had less money than she thought. She walked off the main street, taking a shortcut through backyards and side alleys that smelled of beer and decaying garbage. A few cats observed her from afar with a curiosity mixed with uncertainty. Over her head drying laundry was waving, hung on a rope stretched between two residential buildings. A group of four boys was sitting on one of the ladders leading to the emergency exit. They were exchanging Pokemon cards. She did not like to judge by appearance, but they rather belonged to the poorer part of Detroit's population.

***

_Sarif Industries Headquarters._

Without Jensen, the company was somehow empty, or was it just her own feeling? It was a daily routine to visit Frank before going to her place, but today his fortress was empty. This was suspicious, to say the least because he hardly ever left the office. She checked the phone too, but he didn't leave a message. So she shrugged her shoulders and left. Hacker girl wanted to send some new data to her superiors, but she had run out of Nukeviruses and Stop! Worms. The last batch was stuck in the head of the security’s office. There was plenty of time left before evening so she decided to rethink her plan. Somewhere in the middle of the third checking, the phone rang.

"Laura, are you already at the company?" Frank sounded nervous, but not as nervous as usual, more like he was waiting for the important meeting with incomplete data.

"Yeah for about 30 minutes. I was at your place but ... "

"Be quiet and listen carefully, cause I’ll say it only once." he interrupted her firmly. "I have an appointment with Sarif in a few minutes, and I'll end up in a deep shit if you don't help me."

"Fine, say what you require."

Somehow she found it hard to believe that Pritchard might be in trouble. He was like a cat, always able to dodge and fall on his feet. Could this time be different?

"I need you to go to Jensen's office and bring me some important papers. That flatfoot didn't deliver them to me before leaving" he said in one breath. "Code for the door: 8426 HURRY UP!"

Wait a minute, did she hear correctly? Are her dreams just coming true, or has she won the lottery ticket?

She got up from the chair on the run grabbing her backpack. Laura was bursting with joy and no matter what might have happened nothing would spoil this moment. She was afraid that someone from security would stop her, but they must have been warned because neither of them even looked at her while entering the code. The tinted windows covered her presence so she felt a bit more at ease. Yet still, the hacker girl wasn't 100% sure if Adam would not suddenly jump out of the wardrobe. As she prepared to swap the boxes, she felt like Indiana Jones in ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’. She took one carefully and put the other on its place, making sure it stands exactly at the same spot. Laura had no problem with finding the file because it was lying on the desk as if ready to be taken. It also had a big sticker with the caption ‘For Pritchard’ written in capital letters. Before leaving, she placed a little surprise on the seat of the office chair and turned its backrest towards the door. Finally, she re-entered the code and waited until the red light came on.

She rushed down the corridor straight to the elevator and a moment later she was already on the 29th floor in the Athene Margoulis office. She didn't have enough time to look around, because Frank instantly assaulted her.

"Girl, what took you so long?! Do you at least have what I requested for?!"

Laura sighed. The urge of telling him to stuff himself grew stronger. But instead of doing so, she handed him the documents. Pritchard immediately softened when he looked over the notes.

"Well done, now get back to your work. Log on to the server, I left new guidelines there."

She observed him disappear behind the glass door of Sarif's office. Athene's urgent grunting made her realize that she wasn't welcome here at all. The auburn-haired girl called the elevator and returned to where she belonged. At least she had accomplished her mission quite legally.

When she got home, she tossed keys on the cupboard. Their loud clanking scared the cat away. She only took off her shoes, without changing into casual clothes. Laura had more significant things to complete now. She sat down in the armchair left by the window and turned on her laptop. Pale light illuminated her grave, focused face, and all she could hear in the silence was the clicking of keyboard keys. It was the middle of the night when she gave up. Unluckily, even in the darkest nooks and crannies of the darknet, she hasn't even gained any clue who the mysterious Red_Dragon is. Hacker girl wasn’t pleased that her searching went for nothing.


	9. The Hurricane.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura thinks that she didn't do anything wrong, but Adam disagrees... Is she a beauty or a beast? Did Jensen saw something he shouldn't see? Did it change anything?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favourite chapters so far. I wanted to create similar scene of dancing Laura in my comic, but I didn't have a proper idea of how to show it. Now it's here with a lot of mixed emotions. There's also quite big info from Laura's past.
> 
> If you're interested you can read my comic here: [Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [tumblr] ](https://crunchy-shadow.tumblr.com/tagged/CrunchyShadow) or here: [ Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [dA] ](https://www.deviantart.com/nifriel/gallery/61880373/deus-ex-shadow-s-showdown)

_Adam Jensen's office._

Three days away from the company had completely wiped him out, but at least when he got back, everything was running like Swiss clockwork. Security guards enduringly were doing their jobs, and Frank sat quietly in his lair. Even Miss Werner caused him no problems, which was the most suspicious thing among of all. With skillful movement, Adam keyed in the code swiftly, entered the office, and took a deep breath. A few moments later, he performed almost ritualistic activities. First, he took off his coat and hung it on a hanger, then he took a box of Golden Icarus cigarettes out of its pocket, poured himself some coffee, and was about to sit down in his office armchair when he noticed that something was not as it should be. He perfectly remembered the condition in which he had left his office, and apart from the standard mess his armchair backrest was certainly not facing the door. Intrigued, he decided to set it up as it should be, and just then, in that one particular moment, a hurricane was unleashed. The plushie Grumpy Cat sitting in the office armchair was clearly not to the Chief of Security's liking. Instinctively, Jensen looked at the shelf, but the cereal box was still there intact. The door was locked and there was no sign of forced entry so the culprit must have known the combination. Currently, he only had two suspects, with the indication of Miss Werner, but he lacked evidence. As an ex-cop, he knew well that without them it was only conjecture and circumstantial evidence. For the time being, he left this subject, but he will return to it in due course. Jensen used to solve every case so words like ‘time-barred’ or ‘forgotten’ were unfamiliar to him. To calm himself down Adam lit a cigarette and swallowed anger with a sip of bitter, black coffee. Sadly this did not help him much.

There was nothing urgent to do, so he decided to visit the gym. Sport always helped him to relax. He stubbed out the cigarette and took his bag out of the cabinet. After double-checking, if he has everything Adam left the office, locking it as usual. He strolled to the elevator in a springy step and pressed the button to the 4th floor.

  
***

  
_The Gym_

He couldn't remember the last time he was here, but nothing seemed to have changed. There were two changing rooms and separate bathrooms down the hallway. Behind a double sliding door with the Sarif Sport label on them, there was a main room with various exercise equipment.

Adam looked at the metal cabinets lined up against the wall. He put his black sports bag on the bench and took out a black t-shirt, sweatpants, and a pair of trainers. He changed quickly, but he didn’t put the bag into the locker yet. He took a towel, boxing gloves, and a bottle of mineral water. When Jensen was ready, he locked all unnecessary things and left the changing room. Already in the hallway, Adam had the impression that he’s hearing music, so he slowed down, not wanting to be noticed. The Chief of Security preferred to be alone, to have time to collect his thoughts and ease his bad emotions. He opened the door carefully and was surprised to find out that Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky was the music he heard. It was quite an unusual but pleasant experience and something different than an everyday playlist of the employees. He silently stepped forward, past the treadmills lined up on the left and a few pec decks on the right.

**~~~~~~~~~[Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVBNVR1wQT8) ~~~~~~~~~**

Adam approached the boxing speed bag and left the bottle of water near it. He wanted to put the gloves on but stopped in mid-motion. A figure at the end of the room caught his eye like a magnet. And he saw her so delicate, ethereal, elusive. In drops of sweat sparkling like diamonds, with closed eyes and flowing hair. Jensen wanted to leave, run away, disappear, but like undine, she enslaved him in that one brief moment. Was she even real? He had not expected that this belligerent, quarrelsome girl could be a ballerina. He silently watched as her arms gracefully move up and down like swan wings. There was precision in her every gesture, a dissonance of everything he had experienced so far. She was wearing pale pink leggings and a loose blue blouse, but yet she seemed elegant and dignified. Laura pulled him into her world so much that Adam felt it with his whole being. And she created him anew, quenching his anger instantly. He felt like a tiny walnut shell rocked by a boundless sea. Jensen surrendered to this feeling completely because how could he reject such an unusual beauty?

As the last notes rang out, Laura reached for the towel which she had thrown around her neck and grabbed her smartphone laying on a bench. Wiping the sweat from her face, she flipped through the messages. Soft applause flowed through the silence and echoed across the room catching Laura’s attention. The phone almost fell from her hand. She felt naked as if he had caught her in an intimate moment. Adam's gaze was gentle and warm like never before. She didn't know how to act. The auburn-haired girl always had a reaction ready to play, but now she was completely vulnerable.

Adam didn't want to attack at all; he even forgot why he came here. At this moment he wished to turn back time and watch this unusual phenomenon over and over again. He wanted it so desperately that he stopped getting to know himself. He never broke his resolutions, never backed down, always knew his goal, and always did everything by the book. Miss Werner quaked the walls of his fortress dangerously hard.

“I...Um… Just finished. Only a quick shower and I’m gone. Don’t mind me." she said in one breath, gathering things.

Before he could stop Laura, she was already gone. She disappeared, she ran away like a frightened deer. Adam felt puzzled. Is he that scary? He struggled to shake off the spell she had cast on him and decided to exercise a bit anyway. Sitting behind the desk was bad for his condition. Jensen started with a warm-up, although he didn't really need it. He ran a little on the treadmill, finding himself terribly slow, and then checked on the boxing speed bag how much does he remember from boxing.

Laura turned on the ice-cold water, but even that didn't cool her emotions. She could handle Adam’s anger, sarcasm, or indifference, but when he was polite and cordial she simply lost control. Suddenly she let the irrational desires to speak. They screamed louder and louder with no will of being silenced. Laura wanted Adam to be here now. She desired to feel his breath on her neck. The touch of his hand crawling like a snake on the inflamed skin lower and more greedily. But above all, she wished to hide in his strong arms and be safe in this oasis of peace. Knowing that she wanted the impossible, auburn-haired girl quickly came to her senses.

While leaving the changing room, she had struggled with bandaging her hand and wouldn't have been herself if she had not bumped into Adam once again.

"I’m, sorry." She muttered embarrassed.

"Please, let me help." he offered, seeing her uneven fight with the bandage.

He put the bag down on the dark brown wooden flooring and before she had time to spit out an answer he has tackled in with a bandage. The wound still looked quite serious, but Adam kept observations to himself. Jensen also did not ask about its origin, knowing that Laura would not tell him the truth anyway. Before moving on his way, he noticed that she nodded to him in a gesture of appreciation.

***

_Adam Jensen's office._

Visiting the gym was a good idea. Adam returned to work with a clear mind and new energy, which he used to look for evidence of guilt. If he finds any, Pritchard, Laura, or anyone else would answer for the break-in. As the Chief of Security, he can not tolerate such acts, because soon everyone will be able to legally rummage in other's belongings. So far, all he had was a plushie and a missing file that contained documents for Frank. Adam logged onto the other computer that gave him access to the company's security and monitoring. Jensen had a lot of searching ahead of him, so he brewed himself a cup of coffee and reached for a cigarette. 

He started from the moment he left the office for the last time. A few people stopped by or knocked on the door and left. Someone leaned against the wall and looked through the notes on the datapad, but nothing else. He accidentally skipped the first day, so he checked the second and the third. Records didn’t bring the breakthrough in his investigation too. 

There was only one day left, but he wasn't counting on a miracle. The Chief of Security reached for a mug and was about to take a sip when Laura suddenly appeared on the monitor screen. With a brisk movement, he put the mug down on the desk, splashing the coffee in the process.

"Fuck..." he cursed under his breath.

Jensen reverted the recording to the beginning. Miss Werner was clearly in a rush as if she had a time limit to get into his office complete the task and get out. Was she careless enough to forget about the cameras? Or maybe she just wanted him to know about her intentions? Neither of these answers was satisfactory enough. The next shot showed him Laura entering the code. She must have known it, but that's not hard since she works for Frank. Then she disappeared behind the door. Adam had played the recording several times, each time stopping at the moment when Larua went into the office. Everything she was doing looked completely natural, she didn't try to hide anything, didn't look around like thieves usually do. Finally, the Chief of Security set a stopwatch and started it in sync with the recording. 

Miss Werner left after three minutes. Only the file was gone, and the plushie he was now looking at appeared. Jensen lit another cigarette and rubbed the back of his neck with the palm of his hand. The backrest of the office armchair creaked quietly, tilting back when he pushed his back against it. He thought long and intensively about an appropriate solution to this matter, deciding that he needed to question her first. However, there is a huge gap between having to and wanting to, because he did not want to talk to her at all. He would rather draw the consequences right away, close the case and go home. Should he be rough, or should he be gentle to make her trust him? Taking too harsh approach will turn the interrogation into a war, and he will achieve nothing. If he treats her too friendly he will break his own rules. None of this was good enough.

Unfortunately, the time for decision had just run out. Laura was just passing by his office and stopped to check something on her phone. Taking her by a surprise - this was his chance. Adam sprang up from his chair, putting out his cigarette in a hurry, and quietly walked outside. He stopped around the corner waiting for Laura to pass. As soon as Miss Werner was in sight, he grabbed her hand. She was scared just as he had predicted.

"You will come with me." he declared in an icy tone without letting her go and pulled the girl into his office.

The startled girl didn't protest because he didn't give her time to react. She didn't even know the reason why Adam acted this way. Judging by the look on his face Jensen was furious. Laura started to suspect what all of this fuss is about, but after all, she hadn't done anything wrong.

"It hurts!" she screamed as he yanked her harder, then pushed her against the closed door.

For a while, he stood by her motionless as if slowly realizing that he was acting highly unprofessionally. Their faces were dangerously close together and if either of them leaned out a little more their lips would join in an accidental kiss. She felt his hot breath on her forehead, saw the furious look in his eyes, and despite the malevolent atmosphere, she enjoyed this moment of closeness.

"How dare you?!" he roared suddenly with even more fury.

Miss Werner immediately noticed that Adam had omitted formal phrases so he was probably losing his temper. She had known him for a rather short time, but she had managed to notice that Jensen was always composed. Why is it different this time?

"I don't understand what's going on, Mr. Jensen." she replied, though she was beginning to assume that her entry into the head of the security's office was not entirely legal, and Frank simply set her up.

"No? Then take a look." he pulled her towards the monitor, turned it over, and showed her the recording.

"But I..." she tried to say something but Jensen wouldn't let her get the word out.

"I expected more from you Laura, but apparently all you can do is to make others' life a hell, be quarrelsome and arrogant. You have crossed all possible boundaries of good manners, and you should be ashamed of yourself for that!" he shouted in one breath. "And on top of that is this!" he growled with unrelenting anger.

Adam turned around and reached for the plushie in a quick motion. As his hand moved in a sweeping semicircle towards Laura, the girl wanted to jump away but tripped and fell. With a sliding motion, she moved back against the glass wall and scowled, covering her face with her arm bent at the elbow.

"I didn't do anything! I swear!" she squealed cowering tighter as if she was scared that he would hit her.

The Chief of Security suddenly realized his reprehensible behavior. He didn't know how he should act now or what to say. Laura looked scared to death, but he tried to find an excuse that she was only pretending well. Adam slowly squatted down beside her putting the Grumpy Cat aside.

"Laura?" he reached out, wanting to touch the girl who was sitting with her face hidden in her curled knees.

"God damn Jensen! Stop harassing my employees!" a screeching voice interrupted him, while Frank suddenly appeared in his office.

"The knight in golden armor has arrived. I wonder what lies he brings this time?"

The Chief of Security stood up and crossed his arms over his chest, expecting a proper explanation.

"Save your breath. I'm the one who told her to come to your fucking office because you forgot to finish the paperwork before your grand tour!"

Frank's eyes burned with fury. Maybe he was a selfish asshole, but when necessary, he could fight for his subordinates. He fought like a lion for Laura, mostly because Adam had little sympathy for her.

"Sarif called me in, what was I supposed to do?! I saved your fat ass, so you could show a little gratitude for once!" he continued relentlessly.

Jensen remained unimpressed as he always did when he spoke to Frank. But deep down he understood what a huge mistake he had just made. Meanwhile, Laura took the opportunity to run away as far as possible.

"That doesn't change the fact that this girl came into the office without my permission." he tried to defend his point of view. "Besides, you could have called or send a message, but you had to abuse her. You knew our relationship was strained anyway, so you sent her here without sentiment. And you should be the one to answer for everything."

"In case you haven't noticed shit just hit the fan, Jensen. You can continue stamping your feet in anger and yelling or forget the whole thing since nothing but the file has left your stronghold. "

Willy-nilly, Frank was right. He screwed it up completely, was unprofessional and no shouting would change that. He felt like an asshole.

Half an hour later he left the company smoking a cigarette and holding Grumpy Cat under his arm. He walked with a quick nervous step, taking shortcuts through the back yards. When he reached the apartment, without taking off his coat he poured himself a glass of Whisky and stepped to the window. At Laura's home was dark. Adam was overwhelmed with sadness, which could not be quenched by the subsequent glasses of alcohol he poured into himself.


	10. The sky won't fall forever.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura feels safe this time. No Adam on the horizon, only Frank's mumbling. A lot of work, but still it's better than encounter with Jensen. On the top of that, mysterious message.

_Detroit – Park / Laura's Apartment._

Laura didn't come home, she ran straight ahead, ignoring the raging car horns. One of the cars nearly hit her, but she didn't even care. She showed the driver her middle finger and walked away. After maybe a quarter later auburn-haired girl found herself in a park lit by the dim light of street lamps. An oasis of peace amidst the concrete colossi. A solitude for her shattered soul. Everything that Laura needed now. Walking down the pebbly path she found an empty bench near the edge of a small pond and sat down on it heavily. The girl focused her gaze at one randomly chosen point and stayed like this. After a long moment, she leaned slightly forward, resting her elbows on her thighs, and looked down at the pebbles. She was angry with herself because she couldn't contain her emotions and reactions. Adam shouldn't have seen all of this. He shouldn't have seen her weak and scared. He'll probably ask questions, or at least starts to wonder why. That won't help her at all. Everything was fucked up just like her whole life. Laura was shaken and completely lost. In a fallen silence sound of the incoming message was as loud as a shout. Reluctantly, she reached for the smartphone to her trouser pocket and checked what could it be this time.

[ _„It won't rain all the time_ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfZzkhfz89c)  
[ _The sky won't fall forever_ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfZzkhfz89c)  
[ _And though the night seems long_ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfZzkhfz89c)  
[ _Your tears won't fall forever„_ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfZzkhfz89c)

There was no visible number or sender name. After all these strange events, she should be scared, but somehow the words calmed her down. The auburn-haired girl looked around the area, but no one else was there. It was getting late, so she went back home whether she wanted to or not. Without even taking off her shoes, Laura immediately turned on her laptop and tried to track down the sender. After a long and fruitless struggle, she cursed quietly. The trail had gone cold. For lack of any focal point, she had to give up further digging into the subject. She just wondered if the sender of the message had anything to do with the Red_Dragon.

She didn't step to the window today. The sight of Adam would only worsen her condition. Laura was already thinking about what will happen tomorrow when she comes to the company and how she will avoid a confrontation with the Chief of Security. She decided to call Frank. He doesn't sleep anyway, so he won't complain about the late hour. Apparently, Pritchard could read her mind because the phone started ringing before she even reached for it.

"Laura! Listen carefully cause I'll say it only once. I feel lousy and won't be at the company tomorrow."

"Could this be the salvation I crave?" She thought and decided not to interrupt him.

"Are you there?! Say something!" he said irritably.

"Yeah, and I’m listening," she replied.

"Well, all right then. Tomorrow morning you will take your computer and all the things you need, then come to my place. We'll work outside the company. On the way, you will drop by my office and copy the exact data. The details and address are in the e-mail."

"OK, the mail has arrived. I'll be there tomorrow, bye! "

"Just don't dawdle and don’t treat it like a school trip!"

For the first time, she wanted to kiss him. Sitting with Pritchard at his house is a hundred times better than lurking around every corner with soul on her shoulder. His whining will be like music to her. The biggest problem will be getting into the boss's office, but maybe she'll make it in time before Jensen arrives. Before she went to bed, she had copied the attachment from the e-mail onto her phone and packed a spare laptop, which only held files about the company.

***

_Laura's apartment / Sarif Industries / Frank's apartment_

Miss Werner got up earlier than usual because her mission required sacrifices. She took a quick shower, hurriedly ate a bowl of cereal, and drank coffee. Before leaving, she stroked the cat, who was highly displeased that she dared to leave him alone again. She ran down the stairs two at a time and in the blink of an eye was halfway to the company. As soon as Laura entered, she carefully explored the area. Finding that she could not sense Adam's presence, Laura headed up the stairs to the second floor and quickly turned right. The security guard stopped her outside Frank's office. Jensen seemed to have learned his lesson from the last incident.

"I'd like to see your employee card, please." the broad-shouldered man, wearing dark glasses said with a formal tone.

"Here it is," she replied, handing over the document.

Fortunately, the boss had prepared her for such a turn of events, so she waited patiently to see what this Jensen’s dog would come up with.

"I'm sorry, but you cannot enter this office," he announced firmly.

"Yes, I can." Laura persisted. "I have the authorization."

She reached for the phone and showed him the relevant document, but the man was still standing in her way.

"It may be a forgery," he muttered.

"The boss won't be thrilled, but oh well now it’s your problem, not mine." she tried scaring the security guard off, meanwhile dialing Frank's number and putting him on the speaker.

"Will you finally come?! We don’t have time!" Pritchard's annoyed voice roared from the phone’s speaker.

"As soon as I'm allowed to get into your office," she replied with a theatrical sigh. "For now a certain gentleman won't let me in. Even your authorization isn't enough for him."

"Oi, you there! Let her in immediately! We've got a lot of work to do so don't make it difficult!"

"I can't help it, the boss's order."

"Fuck the order! Just LET HER IN, GOD DAMN IT!" Pritchard yelled with a fury. "I'll have to talk with that flatfoot AGAIN!"

Laura, whistling, keyed in a code and entered the office. Her boss's computer had been booting up way too long in her humble opinion. All she had to do was type in the password, find the files, copy them, and run. The girl was peering nervously toward the corridor, tapping with her fingernails against the desk-top. The empty progress bar was lazily filling in green until finally all the necessary data were copied. When Laura was done, she left everything as it was before she entered then left the office as soon as possible. Luckily, Adam wasn't around. It was undeniably good news, but it also brought many reflections with it. Miss Werner immediately began analyzing why she had not met him, whether he was at the company or perhaps he was avoiding her. She should be glad everything went so smoothly, but this state of things was very disturbing.

On her way to Frank's, she bought coffee and croissants, hoping to curry favor with her boss. She wandered around a bit before she found the right address. The building didn't stand out from the other houses, its gloomy grey color blended into the surroundings. Laura pushed open the door and went inside. A winding staircase took her to the third floor at number 52. After a moment's hesitation, she pressed the doorbell. The spherical shape that looked like an eye emerged from the wall. She immediately recognized the TT-8L/Y7 gatekeeper droid. That was unexpected.

"And I thought nothing would surprise me any more," she said under her breath.

"Tee chuta hhat yudd!" the TT-8L / Y7 spoke in an alien dialect with its electronic voice.

"Goodness gracious me!" she replied. "It’s me, Laura, let me in Frank."

"You're here at last. You weren't in much of a hurry," he muttered. „Shoes off please." Pritchard pointed the finger at her.

"It would be faster if not for that guard," she replied, fulfilling his command.

Frank's apartment was not large, but he managed to stuff a ton of equipment into it. The server room was not as impressive as the one in the company, but it was still something. The curtains were drawn so that the room was constantly in semi-darkness, illuminated only by square red and white flashing LEDs. In the display case on the wall, there were 3, 3.5, 5.25, and 8-inch floppy disks. Remnants of the past, forgotten and abandoned. Next to them, Lara Croft stared at her menacingly from the poster. She was the owner of two famous Beretta 9mm pistols. The T-rex fight, that was something!

"Did you snoop around my house enough?" he muttered with displeasure.

"Sorry," she said with an embarrassment painting on her face. "I have coffee and croissants as an apology."

The chief of Cyber-Security visibly softened when she handed him a mug and paper bag. Only now she noticed he looked like a ghost. Besides, his brown hair was loosely flowing down along his cheeks and onto his arms, which was an unusual sight. He was dressed in gray pajamas with Mario and a mushroom picture on his shirt.

"OK, in that case, fire up your piece of junk. We have a lot of work to do," he muttered, settling into his orange, gaming armchair. "Sarif wants us to check our firewall, plug the holes and change security in the various offices so move on girl!"

"Piece of junk?! Millennium Falcon you ignorant! It’s the same machine that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs! Clean and quick hacking job!" She thought but didn’t say anything.

With a heavy sigh, Laura sat down on an empty section of the couch between the pile of cardboard boxes, that were threatening of collapsing, and the intricate tangle of various cables and power supplies. It was surprising that he was so simply unconcerned about how others perceived him. Plenty of empty coffee mugs and torn Cyber Boost wrappers were scattered across the floor. There was also pizza box, a few crumpled papers, tissues, more tissues. In the bookcase, she spotted a whole set of literature for hackers and programmers. On the coffee table several volumes of Neon Genesis Evangelion manga, and next to them a box of Ghost in the Shell anime. Ancient C64 was standing in a dark corner of the room. She wondered if Pritchard played Prince of Persia on it.

"Piece of Junk ready. Sending you the copied files. Annndd... Done."

"Don't you have anything faster? Even the coffee will get cold at this transfer rate."

His whining was driving Laura crazy, but still better this than Jensen around every corner. As they started working in earnest, Pritchard stopped commenting on her every move. All she could hear in the silence was the rustling of the paper bag and sips of drunken coffee.

"Found that damn thing." proclaimed the auburn-haired girl. "That bugger, that jerk used that code! And I ordered him not to. I'm going to set him up now."

"Are you talking about Stevenson?" he asked while pushing one of the buttons on his dvd-rom drive. When the loading tray showed up Pritchard placed there his coffee mug.

"Aha. About him."

"It's a waste of time. He's on notice. That means you'll take over his duties."

"Frank, you must be kidding!" she indignantly replied.

"No, sweetheart. At the moment it is impossible to hire someone new. You are the best, and I can trust you."

That ingratiating voice did not bode well at all. Laura frowned, she was mad and if it wasn't for her mission, she would have quit this job long ago. If only she was getting something extra for overtime.

"I'll tell you in secret that Sarif agreed to a raise for you."

"Yeah probably by half a credit." she thought. "That's great," she said aloud, forcing herself to be happy.

Pritchard reached for a tissue and blew his nose, which was already so red from a cold that it made him look like Rudolph the reindeer. If Laura was mean, she would take a picture of him now and post it on all social media with the appropriate caption.

For the next few hours, she tried to fix what her colleague screwed up. Unfortunately, there was a lot of it, so they had to divide the work into several stages.

"Hurry up, girl, or we won't finish it for the rest of our lives."

One more dose of his grumble and she'd leave him alone with this mess. Jensen around every corner is no longer so scary.

"Done, we can check."

"Well, not bad," he admitted when he saw the uploaded part on the screen of his monitor. "Good, now attack it with the best things you have. We'll see how long it can hold."

„Come on baby, hold together, hold together,” Frank mumbled, while Laura struck with all of the stuff she knew other hackers might use.

None of them managed to get through the firewall. They ran a few more tests just to be sure and moved on to the next stage. Pritchard wouldn't let her out at a normal time. She had to stay longer because, like him, she had no private life.

“My dear, don't forget you're a week behind and as you know we've got a ton of fixes because of that idiot.”

"And for that week I was sitting in a fever with my nose stuck in the damn code." She tried manifesting her objection, but her boss's answer shook her internal balance.

"If it weren't for Jensen's insistence, you wouldn't get this sick leave at all," he said staring at the screen.

What?! But how… That's impossible! What does Adam have to do with this?! After all, he avoids her like fire. He's unkind and would like her to simply disappear. Laura couldn't concentrate on her work, so finally, the boss in all of his kindness let her go home. She was supposed to be at his place tomorrow at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly no Adam this time, but don't worry, he's still there. :) Who likes Pritchard? Hands up! xD I decided that he should have his five minutes of fame too. Laura will have some space until everything settles down. (aha right...)
> 
> Remember that you can read my comic here: [Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [tumblr] ](https://crunchy-shadow.tumblr.com) or here: [ Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [dA] ](https://www.deviantart.com/nifriel/gallery/61880373/deus-ex-shadow-s-showdown)


	11. The Nobody.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another day with Pritchard, Laura is the boss now! Doubts, and more doubts about everything...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can read my comic here: [Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [tumblr] ](https://crunchy-shadow.tumblr.com) or here: [ Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [dA] ](https://www.deviantart.com/nifriel/gallery/61880373/deus-ex-shadow-s-showdown)

_Sarif Industries Headquarters – Adam Jensen’s Office_

It was supposed to be another typical day at the company. One of those he already knew by heart and could predict every movement and glance to the minute. Unluckily, nothing was typical. Adam was flipping through the pages of documents without much interest. He couldn't identify the separate words, only the strings of markings that screamed into his face: "You're responsible!" He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off this state of stasis, but to no avail. Wherever he looked, the memory struck him. The door as Laura walked in and out, the floor she was crossing, the glass wall still bearing her mark. Even the cigarette reminded him how she disliked when he smoked. It all overwhelmed Jensen so much that he was incapable to swallow anything. Of course, he noticed that Miss Werner was gone for the second day and felt guilty for it. If only he could turn back time, behave differently, change anything. He even wanted to talk to her but was still blocked by his own decisions. The Chief of Security was powerless. Funny, as an ex-SWAT, he had solved a whole lot of difficult cases, and with this one, he didn't know how to deal.

After parting ways with Megan, he changed a lot, still living the fantasy that it was only a transitional stage and in a while, everything would be like before again. How naive. However, when he realized his childish attitude, he built a fortress in which he locked himself away. Unfortunately, Miss Werner had discovered unconventional ways to reach him, as he had been thinking more about her than about his duties lately. He was disturbed when something bad happened to her and above all missed Laura unimaginably strong… In the last hour, Adam had carefully analyzed all the encounters and gestures, concluding that the breakthrough must have come when he saw Laura dancing. She had been real then, so real that she had etched herself deeply into his memory. She didn't wear a daily mask to pretend to be someone else, to hide from the world as he did. Until now, he hadn't realized how much they could have in common. Still, he kept his emotions in check with a donkey's stubbornness.

The Chief of Security took a deep breath and reached for the police notebook to his trouser pocket. He opened it on the intel he had started to gather about Laura and began adding new observations:

  * Pretty serious looking wound on the right hand. Located on the outside of the upper part of the fingers, near the knuckles, it could be from a fist punch.
  * She was gone for a week due to a terrible cold. At present both Pritchard and Laura are absent. Maybe she and Frank? NO! It's problematic to entitle him a human being, let alone suspected of having feelings. This insensitive egotist simply parasites on her.
  * Miss Werner is a gifted ballerina. Who would have thought? (It was an unforgettable impression. I felt like Siegfried seeing Odette as a beautiful maiden for the first time. She was terrified seeing Siegfried same as Laura.)



For some time now, Miss Werner's behavior has been suspicious, to say the least. I have noted several instances of this already:

  * ‘The Jackdaw’ - When I seized a cup of rum from her (I can't stand the sight of women drunk to unconsciousness). Laura momentarily stated that she had to go and left the tavern. 
  * The blush on her face is also an unusual phenomenon. She explained it with a cold, but somehow I don't wholly believe it. (Besides, she looked lovely.)
  * I was gone for a few days, and Laura must have ruined everything. She entered my office without permission. It’s beyond all limits. Frank asked her to so, but she should refuse. Sarif would be angry, so what? It is quite possible the blame would fall on me. If not I would not hesitate to accept the responsibility. However, just entering the office in my absence and leaving Grumpy Cat (which is at my home now) is not particularly strange itself. But when I reached for the plushie, Miss Werner wanted to jump away, but she fell down and curled up as if afraid that I would hit her. Why did she react like that? I have observed such reactions of people who have experienced physical or psychological violence. I doubt that was the reason. It would have to be something extremely strong, and she doesn't look like a victim.



  
Jensen closed his notebook and slipped it back into his trouser back pocket. A moment later finally, he lit a cigarette. He didn't even have time to inhale properly, cause someone just knocked on the door.

"Oh, Faridah, it's you. Come in," he invited her with a gesture of his hand, crossing his legs. 

"What an enthusiasm. Were you expecting someone else? " she asked, folding her hands over her chest.

"No, I didn't expect anyone," he replied.

"You seriously don't mind the silence? Frank does not complain, no scandal, security guards perform their duties."

Since Malik does not know about anything, Adam did not mention the incident with Laura. He also noticed she hadn't even mentioned anything about Miss Werner. It’s better that way. She should be aware it’s a very bad idea to talk about Laura.

"Coffee?" he proposed kindly.

"Today I must decline. In a moment..." she paused looking at her watch. "Oh my gosh it's almost time!" she finished slightly panicked.

"Almost time for what? Can you be more specific?" he inquired holding a cigarette between the index and middle finger of his right hand.

"A flight, BIIG BADA flight! Therefore, I must keep it short and to the point," she uttered in one breath. “Tickets are here. Saturday in two weeks. This one is yours.” Faridah placed a rectangular piece of paper on the desk and pushed it towards Adam. "Fortunately, the seats are next to each other. Meanwhile, Faridah says bye-bye and flies away. Literally." On her way out, she raised her hand in a farewell gesture. Jensen shook his head with a slight smile and looked at his ticket. Finally, he'd be off somewhere in enjoyable company.

  
***

  
_Detroit. Frank Pritchard's apartment._

The second day spent with the boss did not bring surprising observations. Frank hasn't cleaned up a single piece of paper and since yesterday, even new ones have appeared. He might have been less irritable, but perhaps that was just her humble wish. At least he stopped picking on her laptop. Today they barely talked to each other at all, both of them dived into their own worlds, listening to their favorite music. The incessant clicking of the keyboard keys was killed by the silence from time to time. Laura looked at her watch with increasing impatience. More code fragments flashed past her eyes at a tortoise's pace. She was fed up with correcting everything after others. On top of that, she was going to have even more responsibilities.

"I sent you the corrections." she typed into the messenger window.

"OK, got it." he wrote back after a moment. "I think we've got over with the main security systems. Now we have to connect the individual offices."

"Let's sensibly divide them. Maybe..." she didn't have time to finish because Frank already had a plan.

"You take Jensen, Malik, Margoulis, Maher, Dobel, Bruger, Van Wesel, and Stichner. I take Rogers, Rosellini, Pine, Gonzalez, Mitchell, Carella, and Sarif."

Of course, he had to assign Adam to her. She always gets the worst of it. If anything goes wrong, she'll be the one responsible for everything. Unfortunately, she knew very well that her protests would be of no use, so she set to work. Laura started with the less important names, which she dealt with quickly. Occasionally she glanced at Pritchard, but he seemed not to care at all about her presence. He sank into his virtual world and reality ceased to exist for him. The auburn-haired girl began to wonder if he didn't feel very lonely. All those sarcastic comments are just a mask, just like the one she wears. Maybe she should be nicer to him?

“Laura, just don't dawdle because we'll never end this. I'm not going to answer Sarif for your mistakes."

After those words, the first to be spoken other than "Good morning," she definitely gave up any attempt to befriend him. His false admiration was even worse than Jensen's false kindness. If she wasn't so good at what she did, Frank would treat her like an inferior entity unworthy of his attention.

Just like yesterday, she sat on the modifications until late afternoon. When she got to Adam, she was doubly focused because she knew how even the smallest mistake would end. Pritchard carefully looked through her work and muttered something that sounded like: 'You could have tried harder'. Eventually, he accepted the improvements.

“You will get the documentation regarding the changes in Cyber- Security right away. You'll bring it to Jensen later today. This is important," he stressed the last word, but Laura felt he was playing his old game again. "No, you can't tomorrow at the office," he forestalled her question, so she only had time to open her mouth. Chiron Building, Apt. 3434. "

"Okay, I'll take care of it," she replied reluctantly.

“Tomorrow I won’t be at the company either. Unfortunately, you will have to take over my responsibilities. Just don't screw up anything! You'll get access to my office and all of my equipment. I really don't want it, but that's how the chain of command works."

Frank's office, Frank's computer, a treasure trove of data. If she does her best, she will finally satisfy her superiors. Even visiting at Adam's ceased to bother Laura. A quarter of an hour later Miss Werner was on her way to the lion's jaw. The good thing was that Cerberus lives vis-à-vis her building, at least she'll be home soon.

  
***

_Chiron Building_

She stopped for a moment just after entering the building and breathed deeply a few times. The vast hall was illuminated by lamps hanging in several places on the walls and one large hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room. It reminded Laura of wind chimes. The ceiling was supported by two wooden pillars of fancy shapes set on a floor laid with white stone slabs. She spotted a few people, but they were too busy with their own affairs to pay attention to her. Laura headed straight to the elevator but didn't manage to do anything else.

"Miss! Please wait a moment," the receptionist's voice halted her.

The auburn-haired girl looked to her right at the built-up reception area where the voice was coming from. She hoped she wouldn't have to explain the reason for her visit. Apparently, the employees of this building are just like Grumpy Cerberus.

"Why did you stop me? Is something wrong?" Laura asked in surprise as she estimated the black-haired woman around 40.

"I don't think you live here," she stated in a dry tone, checking something on the computer. "Only residents may enter, and solicited visitors. Are you any of them?”

Hearing this, the blood boiled in her veins. This nasty woman is about to regret her words. What causes her to think like that? Does she look like a bum or something?! Because she's wearing ordinary jeans, a leather jacket, and a jumper? She wanted so badly to talk back to her, but in the end, she managed to restrain her nerves.

“I’m the Sarif Industries Cyber-Security worker. I came to see Mr. Jensen. Apartment 3434. It’s an urgent matter," she replied with a polite smile.

"Ah, I understand." the woman nodded slightly. "If that’s really important, I'm not holding you anymore."

"Bang, bang." Laura thought. "I shoot that bitch down."

"Second floor." Miss Werner heard when she left.

Her nervousness grew stronger, the closer she was to her target. Laura shifted from foot to foot waiting for the elevator to stop, and when it did, she did not dare to step outside. Laura had walked back and forth, along the narrow corridor, near Jensen’s apartment door for a long time. Her hands were clutching a thick file with Frank's documentation in it. When she finally decided to ring the bell, she immediately regretted it. For a long time, no one answered, so Laura was about to leave with a feeling of relief, but that's when Adam opened the door. He was wearing a black t-shirt and navy blue jeans. She felt that he was amused, but his face solidified at the sight of her. Instantly he became very formal as if tense. He smelled like women's perfumes and although the scent was not strong, Laura still had the impression that she was choking. Jensen didn't invite her in. He stepped over the threshold, blocking the door with his hand to prevent it from closing.

"May I know the reason for your unannounced visit?" he asked in a rough husky voice.

He was right she should have called, let him know but Frank ordered her to just go and she obeyed. Shit, when will she finally do something by the book?

"Sorry for the intrusion," she replied remorsefully, hoping he would at least mellow a little, but he didn't.

Jensen frowned in impatient anticipation of an explanation.

"I'm just getting back from Pritchard’s. He asked me to give you this." She handed him over the file she was tightly holding.

"What is this?" he asked, picking up the orange, rectangle object with his free hand.

He slid his foot on the sensor line, thereby freeing the other hand, and began scouring the contents.

"Documentation of our security systems. The boss said it was urgent."

The Chief of Security shook his head with resignation. Pritchard was getting more and more insolent, and this girl was still a blind executioner of his will.

“You could come by to my office tomorrow with this. There is no rush."

"But..." she broke off, hearing a woman's voice from deep inside the apartment.

"Adam, who came?"

"Nobody important.” Jensen turned his head towards the voice source. "One of Frank's employees is bothering me with some reports."

Laura longed to disappear. She didn't realize that he saw her that way and relations between them were so bad. She should punch him straight into his stupid face right now, shouldn't care at all, but damn it, she cared about every single word or gesture.

"I'll take my leave. Have a nice evening, Mr. Jensen," she struggled for the courtesy and sincere smile. So honest that it stabbed Adam right in his icy heart.

"I hope you won't make a habit of bothering me at home," he muttered disgruntled.

"You can rest assured," she replied and walked away towards the elevator.

"Come on Adam. We have something important to discuss," the woman urged impatiently.

"I'm coming, Meg."

Adam tossed the file on the desk placed next to the window and poured himself a glass of Whisky. From his apartment window, he saw Laura running out of the building and crossing the street in the sound of howling car horns. He saw and his heart squeezed that unfeeling, icy heart. Jensen wanted to make things right, but instead, he destroyed their fragile relationship. After a moment, he noticed pale light in the terrace window. A sketch of the female figure threw something, probably against the wall, and then slide down on the ground. Jensen couldn't understand why this girl was absorbing him so much. After all, the love of his life, everything he could possibly want, is now at his fingertips reach, but he can't simply enjoy it.

The auburn-haired girl was devastated by the cruelty of Jensen's words. She tried to explain to herself that he didn't think so at all, and his reaction was caused only by her earlier mistakes. Laura had unknowingly breached his private space. If someone had come to her unannounced after working hours and forced extra duties, she would have been angry too. Miss Werner sat on the ground for a long time with her cheek pressed against the cool glass. When she involuntarily looked toward the Chiron Building, she spotted a second silhouette in Adam's apartment. Laura guessed that it might be Megan Reed. Compared to her, she was indeed a nobody.

  
Laura forced herself to get up and walk a few steps to the bedroom. She crawled into the bed without bothering to put on her pajamas. It didn't matter to her right now. Tomorrow she will be lost as the temporary Chief of Cyber Security anyway. Her career at Sarif Industries will come to an end. When that finally happens, she'll chuck it all and return to Uppsala. That's the plan.

After an hour of pointless staring at the ceiling, she managed to close her eyes and at least pretend to be asleep. One more hour later she was in the arms of Morpheus. Unfortunately, the night did not bring peace. It began with restless wriggling as if she could not find a comfortable position as if something was pressing on her not letting her rest peacefully. Then a wave of heat came, and her heart began to beat faster and louder. Her breathing became shallow, more nervous until finally a feeling of shortness of breath overwhelmed her. Laura struggled with taking another inhale as if smoke was clogging her lungs.

"She's lost to us!"

"No, she's not! I'm going in."

"You're crazy! Wanna die there?"

"I do."

She woke up with a scream on her lips and panicky looked around the room. It only took her a moment to realize this was just another nightmare. Laura was unable to sleep anymore, so she got up and returned to her customary place of observation. Adam's apartment was dark, he probably was already asleep and she wondered if he is dreaming about anything.


	12. The Showdown.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the warming! Is it for good or only temporary?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can read my comic here: [Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [tumblr] ](https://crunchy-shadow.tumblr.com) or here: [ Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [dA] ](https://www.deviantart.com/nifriel/gallery/61880373/deus-ex-shadow-s-showdown)

_Adam Jensen's office. / Frank Pritchard’s office. / The Jackdaw._

Since yesterday, Adam's mood had deteriorated even more. He did not want this awkward situation to arise at all. He acted like that only to avoid an unnecessary confrontation between Megan and Laura. The reason remained unclear to him. After all, Dr. Reed was the past and Miss Werner was... who exactly? He barely knew her, but he could tell a lot about her. It was hard for him to determine at what stage of acquaintance they were at the moment. He watched Laura meticulously, wanting to figure it out, but the constant search for hidden signals that she might be sending would finish him off mentally. He already lacks proper sleep, drinks, and smokes too much. He's on a straight path to premature death. But why doesn't he care?

Adam poured himself a mug of coffee and sat back in his armchair with a heavy sigh. He looked at the paper file with the report that Laura handed him yesterday. Immediately after Megan had left, Jensen lay down on his bed and sipping Whisky, he thoroughly reviewed every single word almost until morning. He took it as a form of penance for his reprehensible behavior. Besides, Miss Werner held the file so tightly that he could still smell the subtle scent of magnolia and vanilla on it. The spell faded like a soap bubble when the image of emerald eyes came into his mind. Though they seemingly revealed nothing, he saw in them pain mixed with immense grief. Those eyes were full of tears that glistened in them because of him. Jensen scowled, setting his cup down on the desk. He didn't even take a sip from it.

For over a quarter of an hour, he was dispassionately reviewing the monitoring records, unsuccessfully trying to force himself to visit Frank. He needed to discuss some minor security issues with him. He finally got up with reluctance, scooped the pages into a neat pile, and put them back into the paper file. Adam was quite sure that once again he will hear that he knows shit about computers, is a lower entity, and stuff like that. Slipping the file under his arm, Jensen closed the door behind him and keyed in the code.

Wanting to postpone the moment of the inevitable clash, the Chief of Security decided to go down the stairs instead of using the elevator. With a lazy step, he headed to the second floor, politely responding to each greeting along the way. It was only now that he noticed these women's come-hither glances, fluttering eyelashes, flirtatious eyes, and sending kisses. Adam sped up decisively. He preferred another war with Pritchard to this bunch of erotically aroused women. With a determined stride, he walked down the corridor, trying to look straight ahead just to avoid tempting fate with sideways looking. A few minutes later he was standing outside Pritchard's office ready to fend off attacks. As usual, without knocking first, Adam pushed open the door and not looking in the direction of the Chief of Cyber Security, he went straight to the purpose of his visit. He opened the paper file and started looking for a particular page.

"Frank, I looked through the documentation and..." he paused while trying to find the relevant document. He didn't finish because Francis's voice sounded somehow strange.

"And what are your annotations?" the inquiry came from the armchair turned with the backrest towards Jensen.

Adam froze, holding a piece of paper in his hand, with a look on his face as if he had seen a ghost. At first, he thought it was fatigue and that the voice was just its effect. He had to verify his thoughts as soon as he saw Laura sitting in Pritchard's armchair.

"Miss Werner?" he uttered.

Suddenly, Adam was struck by the memories of yesterday evening, and he struggled with keeping emotions at bay. There was so much he would like to tell her right now, but any inappropriate word could ignite unnecessary hope. He couldn't give her even the slightest hint that there could be anything between them. She would always be Miss Werner to him. No more no less.

"Yes. For the next several hours or so I am at your disposal," she announced with a disarming smile. "So if there's anything we need to discuss, please feel free."

Laura was composed, though she howled with pain deep down in her soul. She decided to finish Jensen off with professionalism. "We shall see who will be eliminated first in this game." She thought. Yesterday she was a poor, harmed girl, and today it’s time for her showdown.

"Of course, you're right, let’s don’t waste time then," he replied somewhat confused as he pulled up a chair.

He put the paper file on the desk, focusing on one selected page. He browsed its content for a moment, then pointed to a particular line.

“Here, take a look. It seems to me that this entry is wrong."

The girl looked at the line indicated with his finger and cursed in her mind. Frank should have read the whole thing before he gave it to her. After all, such an obvious mistake is a shame.

"Indeed, you're right. I must have overlooked it," she replied apologetically.

Jensen is by no means the computer illiterate as Pritchard makes him out to be. She should keep that in mind while completing the mission.

"This is not your mistake, Miss Werner," he said calmly. "Please don't take Francis' fault on your shoulders. That notation appears repeatedly in every report and always causes problems in practice."

Laura was surprised by Adam’s reaction. It shouldn't matter to him. After all, a mistake is still a mistake, no matter who made it. Meanwhile, he completely excluded her out of responsibility. Does he want to apologize for yesterday this way? If so, let him have the guts to do so openly.

"If I may suggest something." He was professional and matter-of-fact as usual, but his husky voice sounded completely different. That was hard not to be noticed.

"But please, I am open to observations and advice," she replied with sincerity in her voice.

"From now on, any report that comes out from Pritchard should be checked directly by you," he stated in a peremptory tone.

"But if he finds out..."

"He won't find out," Chief of Security interrupted her with assurance. "I assume you were the one who worked on the new version of my office's security. "In fact, he was certain of that, but he preferred to leave himself a margin of error.

She had an irresistible feeling that she was doomed. Jensen was about to point out her incompetence, her lack of skills, and speculate that she could now snoop around in his office at will. From the moment Laura was assigned the task, she knew how rummaging through everything that had to do with Adam would end up. At least she will leave the company without any regrets.

"Yes, the boss assigned the duties that way, so I didn't have much to say," she tried to explain herself as best she could.

The corner of Adam's lips twitched into a slight smile. Laura immediately recognized it as a bad omen. He decided to remain silent and compound the uncertainty.

“It's been a long time since I have seen such a well-coordinated security system. My congratulations Miss Werner," he finally admitted seeing Laura getting more and more nervous.

What did he just say?! Something must have fallen on his head along the way to the company. This must be some kind of mindfuck. She should turn on high alert mode ASAP. But when she looked into Adam's gray-blue eyes, she realized that he was speaking quite seriously. He appreciated her and that was straightforward, but why? What had changed that she’s no more than quarrelsome, insolent Miss Nobody? She felt immensely lost. She had a ready-made recipe for dealing with almost all of the guys she encountered. They always behaved according to a certain pattern. But Jensen was the opposite of everything. His behavior was hard to predict, which made her even more attracted to him. She liked challenges, loved solving puzzles, and he was the hardest one so far.

"Thank you, Mr. Jensen," she uttered with difficulty.

Her defense line was punctured like a sieve. The Chief of Security had forced through all of the firewalls with just a few simple commands. During her time with him today, she had learned one more important thing. When you lie defeated and think the attack is over a second wave can always come.

"Please let's be on a first-name basis when we are alone or off working hours."

Hit, sunk. She couldn't name what she felt. There were no proper words to describe the chaos of emotions swirling inside her like bubbles in champagne. It's not a big deal; it's a common courtesy, but it is also a milestone in their acquaintance. She tried to judge how much of this was just his game. She tried to push away any positive emotions. She barely accepted that Adam wasn't pretending at all.

"Adam." He encouraged her and offered his hand.

"Laura," she replied quietly and shook his hand.

She felt an electrifying tingle running down her spine. The auburn-haired girl shivered, though she wasn't cold at all. His hand was a bit rough and his grip firm but she could feel him trying his best to be gentle. Today she really met Adam.

"I would like to discuss something else. The matter concerns one of the cameras on the third floor. Frank was supposed to take care of it a month ago…"

"But he had more important things on his mind?" she finished.

"Exactly. So it would be perfect if we could deal with it today. "

“That's what I am for. I just need to find... Oh, there it is. A set of cameras from the third floor,” she said, turning the monitor slightly towards Adam.

"The one in the middle." He pointed with his index finger at one of the rectangles representing the camera view.

He was already about to explain where is the problem, but Laura's phone started ringing.

"Boss. Excuse me for a moment."

The girl got up and stepped aside. She felt that air is dense and hot around the desk, so this moment is like a cool breeze, a short time to breathe and regain balance. When Laura answered the call, she immediately moved the phone away from her ear. Jensen raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise. He shook his head with a smile as he heard Frank’s howl even though he wasn't on speakerphone. He was even more surprised that the Chief of Cyber Security had given up his position so easily. Pritchard had always made sure any potential competitor was light years away from him. Meanwhile, the biggest threat was just taking his place, and doing it quite well. From the nervous stomping of Laura's, navy blue, ankle boot against the floor and the resigned look on her face, he could see something went wrong.

"Where were we?" she asked confused. "Oh yes, the camera view."

Jensen immediately noticed she was clearly distracted. He knew very well how just a few minutes spent with Pritchard could take its toll. She had it every day. The auburn-haired girl struggled with the camera problem for a long time, finally declaring her defeat.

"Unfortunately, it's not a software issue. I tried all of the possible commands and rebooting. Even reset with setting new tracking and recording parameters didn’t help."

He sighed. "So the service company is our only option."

Laura looked carefully at the camera image once more. Something clearly was wrong. Adam didn't want to rush her, but the silence made him impatient.

"Mhm. A one-man service company," she replied with a broad smile, taking a screwdriver out of the drawer.

She was just lucky and knew where Frank kept his tools.

"Maybe we better wait for the professionals? We could lose the warranty..."

"I'm asking for a little trust. I know it's a lot but..."

"All right." Jensen agreed. He didn't approve at all her eagerness to play servicewoman, but he decided to give the girl a chance.

Together they rushed to the third floor and located the faulty camera. There was no one in the corridor except the security guard, whom Jensen signaled with a hand gesture to ignore their presence. After a while, the man went on patrol.

"Now look at this camera and then at that one." She pointed with a screwdriver at first one, then the second. "Do you see anything odd?"

"That one is moving and this one is not," he replied quickly.

"Indeed. I'll do something about it right away."

Jensen was impressed by how quickly the girl handled the problems. It's not his professional way, but at least she's trying to do something. He frowned as she pushed the cleaning cart towards the camera. He wanted to help Laura, but before he could react, she had already started to climb onto the cart top. She was wearing dark green skinny jeans and a gray-blue cowl neck hoodie. Adam noticed that blue frequently appears in a girl's wardrobe, so it must be significant for her. Chief of Security also anxiously observed that he started to notice such irrelevant details, and it’s a bad sign. He momentarily rejected his fears, focusing on the task.

"I'll do it," he offered.

"With all due respect, but you're a bit too far..." the auburn-haired girl did not manage to finish because she lost her balance and would almost have fallen if Adam hadn't caught her.

"Maybe now you’ll let me help?" he insisted, but to no avail.

Laura examined the camera and loosened one of the screws, then dived under and did the same thing on the other side. She smiled contentedly as the camera began to move along the designated route. Adam helped her to climb down and put the cart back in place. He didn't like the fact that he had to stand aside and watch. He preferred to play the role of a protector and a gentleman. Nevertheless, she solved the problem within several minutes and enjoyed it.

Together they returned to the office. Adam sat on the chair next to Laura and checked if everything was working properly. After a short while, he nodded with appreciation and put report pages back into the paper file.

"Leave it. I'll look through it again if you want," she said spontaneously.

"Frank's coming back tomorrow, if he finds out you're plotting behind his back, he won't be happy," his husky voice sounded concerned. She felt special like never before.

"You see... That earlier call was to let me know that Frank won’t be back by the end of the week," she muttered sourly. "And tomorrow I have to execute the mandatory password change for everyone on the list."

"We've always changed them separately in our offices." Jensen tilted his head and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair.

"Yes, but now almost everything has changed. That's why the procedures are different," she replied somewhat coldly. "Only Sarif can do it on its own."

"I understand," he nodded and stood up.

Laura noticed he had not lit a single cigarette in her presence. She also scolded herself for not even offering him a mug of coffee. Both of them were busy with their duties and simply had no time for anything else. What is more, they were kind to each other. His voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Listen, why don't we go for lunch together? After all, I guess we deserve it?

All of the alarm systems in her head went on along with a warning blinking of the white and red square LEDs. He was nice alright they started to call each other by their first name, that was acceptable too but lunch? He really had suffered a severe head injury. Still, it was foolish to refuse him now.

"I'd love to, just give me a minute. I need to finish few things."

"Okay then. We’ll meet within ten minutes at the reception?"

"Great, I'll be there for sure."

When he left, she didn't know whether she should jump up high to the ceiling with joy, or start to panic. She couldn't be late - for that she was sure. Guys like him probably like punctuality. Without losing her head she turned off Frank's computer, put on a black leather jacket, and locked the office. Without losing her mind she shut down Frank's computer put on her black leather jacket and locked the office. On the way, she stopped by the restroom. Laura fixed her hair and gave her lips a slight pink tone with 7 Sins lipstick. She realized that it was the first time for ages when she simply cared about her look. The reason was not clear to her. They’re going for an ordinary lunch and are not even friends, yet she’s acting like a teenager who's crazy about a guy.

By pure coincidence, they met on the second floor at the top of the stairs leading to the lobby. Laura breathed with relief because she was afraid of being too late.

"Always so punctual?" he glanced at her, smiling with the corner of his lips.

"Only at lunchtime and when going home," she joked.

Adam slowed down, trying to match her pace. Along the way, they agreed The Jackdaw' was the best possible option for lunch. Only a few minutes of intense walking had passed when they got there. Jensen pulled open the massive iron-edged wooden door, letting her inside. Laura glanced at the oaken plaque with a pirate ship carved on it, then plunged into the warm interior of the inn. Today it smelled of herbs, fish soup, and wine. The aroma of cherry pipe tobacco wafted through the air. A few guests were sitting at the bar and sipping ale from large, one-liter wooden mugs. In the corner, a bunch of students was arranging a party. A girl was dragging a newly met boy to a secluded spot. The auburn-haired girl felt memories returning. Lemon-Lime - the best and yet most cursed years of her life. She had everything then and at the same time, she had nothing. Anxiety nestled in her soul when she noticed a hooded man sitting on a barrel at a table. He seemed to discreetly watch her from behind a menu card. Laura didn't have time to investigate longer because Jensen had already gone to the next room, which was several times larger. He quickly took a seat at his favorite table in the corner. Laura took off her jacket, hung it on the backrest of the chair, and sat down across from Adam.

They had not spoken to each other before placing their order. Laura began fearing that everything was going back to the old tracks again. When the waiter brought two bowls of soup and then left to serve other guests, Jensen suddenly became serious. This was not a good sign.

"Laura, we need to talk about something. It's important."

Adam didn't want it at all, but his voice was cold and formal again. Unfortunately, he couldn't control it. Whenever emotions were involved, he always did a few steps back just to be sure. He hoped that if he hurt someone, at least he would look like an insensitive asshole. The silence between them was louder than the bustle. Insecurity froze Laura from the inside.


	13. The End.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's no place for happiness in Laura's life. Only darkness and fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can read my comic here: [Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [tumblr] ](https://crunchy-shadow.tumblr.com) or here: [ Deus Ex HR: Shadow's Showdown comic [dA] ](https://www.deviantart.com/nifriel/gallery/61880373/deus-ex-shadow-s-showdown)

_The Jackdaw._

Laura rummaged in the soup with a spoon, which showed her nervousness perfectly. Adam, in turn, tried to choose the right words so as not to look like an idiot. They sat like that for the next several minutes until the Chief of Security decided to end this stupid situation.

"I wanted to talk about that incident in my office," he began, and his voice seemed to be even more husky than usual. "I don't know what possessed me, but I acted unprofessionally. A simple admonition would suffice."

"Adam..." She closed her eyes and shook her head. “You may have acted inappropriately, but I was the one who burst into your office. Instead of sticking to my common sense and simply say ‘No I won’t do it’, give you a call or send a message I just blindly obeyed. You had the right to be pissed."

"Anyway, I'd like to leave it behind, and…"

He didn't have time to finish which, to some extent, brought on a feeling of relief. The fear of being misunderstood proved stronger than his good intentions.

"My, my, who do we have here? The Chief of Security and the new Chief of Cyber Security,” Faridah said with a broad smile.

"Only temporary," Laura replied, not wanting rumors to circulate around the company that she wants to get rid of Frank. "Specifically by the end of the week."

"How modest. Come on, you're among trusted people." Malik waved her hand, glancing at Jensen.

She was surprised that they were sitting here together and not jumping at each other's throats. A miracle must have happened, and not just any.

"Laura has solved more problems than Frank did in most of his career," interjected Adam, who so far had only been a passive observer.

With these words, he made Miss Werner blush very visibly. Fly Girl blinked her eyes with disbelief and raised an eyebrow in surprise. She did not know what had happened in the meantime, but she enjoyed this state of things. Jensen was clearly happy in Laura’s company, although he did not show it at all. Laura had apparently changed her mind about the grumpy Chief of Security too, and that blush only confirmed that. "Lovely picture." Faridah thought as she sat down next to the girl.

"How are the flights? You've had a lot of them lately?" asked the auburn-haired girl while eating the soup.

"Come on," she muttered dissatisfied. “They act like I'm the only pilot in the company. Faridah this, Faridah that. "  
"I beg your pardon, but maybe I can serve something to the captain and his lovely company? The parley goes better when your stomach is full," they were interrupted by a waiter in a pirate costume with a long, red beard. Laura noticed right away that it was fake.

"Sea bass with herbs and black tea for me," Malik said without thinking long.

"Actually, I'm still hungry," Laura muttered. "For me, the same but with green tea"

Adam was not very original, so in the end, the waiter noted with an eagle quill on parchment three times the sea bass, one black tea, and twice the green tea. When they were alone, Jensen instinctively reached for the cigarettes in his coat pocket.

"May I?" Before he lit one, he turned to Laura for permission. She felt shocked once again.

"Of course, feel free," she replied kindly.

Incredible, they no longer play with the formalities. Seriously, something must have changed in their heads. Faridah was becoming more and more intrigued and determined to find out the truth. She knew Jensen well enough, so she could easily judge that such drastic changes in behavior were totally out of his style. Curiosity was eating her to the limit. A week of mutual kindness? Some stupid bet?

„Adam, aren’t you too harsh towards Pritchard? Is he really that bad?” Laura asked with curiosity.

„No, I’m not.” Jensen inhaled with his cigarette. „Francis is damned skilled that’s true, but lately he’s less focused on his duties.”

„I see,” she noded.

Conversations quieted down when the waiter served the food they had ordered. Green tea was etched in Fly Girl's mind in capital letters. Damn it, Adam doesn't drink green tea! By all the plague of the world, what is this all about?

"Laura, I checked into your office but it's been closed for two days," Malik asked her, hoping to find out something.

"Ah yes, I have been away from the company," she nodded. "Frank got cold or something and ordered me to visit him because ‘We have a lot of important things to do’," saying this, she tried to imitate his grumbling.

"What a kind of guy! After all, he could have infected you again. As if that week wasn't enough for you," Fly Girl was indignant.

"Oh, that's all right, but I'll have more responsibilities. Hooray!" she muttered while eating her fish.

"Let me guess. Frank finally fired Stevenson?" asked Jensen, who was almost finishing eating.

"Yeah, and he won't hire anyone new to replace him because I'm the best," she replied, and her mood immediately deteriorated.

"He should did that a long time ago. You wouldn't have to sit around after hours and he could find someone new."

Laura's eyes grew unnaturally large, and she almost choked on her tea.

"Do not look at me like this. I am the Chief of Security, so I know who comes or leaves the company and when. "

Faridah left to herself the remark that Adam didn't check anyone else so thoroughly. Instead of commenting, she focused on satisfying her hunger.

Miss Werner felt increasingly comfortable in their company as if they had known each other for a long time. Almost like ten years ago. She began to hesitate more and more about where she should place her trust. But as she drifted too far towards the new harbor, she instantly felt like the heavy anchor at her feet was preventing her from doing so. The anchor of a grim duty she had accepted. An overwhelming sadness tore her soul to shreds. Adam must have noticed that she suddenly had lost her temper because he watched her more closely now, but he did not say a word. He couldn't simply ask her what had made her unhappy. He immediately assumed it was his fault, and he felt terribly bad about it.

"Where have you been for the last three days?" Laura managed to bring herself back to order, though it didn't come smoothly.

"I've been flying with and behind Adam." Faridah shrugged her shoulders and laughed.

"Malik, it's no secret," the Chief of Security’s husky voice interjected. "Sarif ordered me to fly to Washington and check the security of the area where some important speech is going to take place. Standard procedures."

Laura nodded in understanding but felt her throat tighten. She didn't want to be nosy or jealous, but she felt he had taken her that way. A wave of fear and embarrassment swept over her. She had done something wrong, something very wrong. The accusing voices in her head never faded away. They were intrusive, they resembled, they hollowed out. Laura felt that she was choking. Fortunately, probably none of those present seemed to notice anything. She closed her eyes, tried to find peace.

The inn was getting more and more bustling, guests were coming and going. Soon the room they were sitting in filled almost to the last seat. Laura looked at the watch on her phone, dismayed to find that lunchtime was long over and she should get back to the company. This was her excuse to escape into solitude.

"It's been a nice time, but time to go back. I have a few more things to take care of," she excused herself with her duties getting up from her chair.

"You see, Adam, it's called diligence," Malik joked.

Jensen struggled to come up with anything resembling a smile. Laura left her jacket in a hurry, but this time Adam managed to stop her and return the lost item. She answered him with a polite smile. When the girl left, the Chief of Security threw Fly Girl a warning look, which meant that she should not bring up the subject of him and Laura. Faridah sighed theatrically, clearly disappointed. The girl's behavior, however, was noticed because Malik wanted to share her observation with Jensen, but he quenched her enthusiasm like a cigarette.

***

**[~~~~~~ BACKGROUND MUSIC ~~~~~~](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3-MhXQA0zI) **

_Sarif Industries - Headquarters_

Laura didn't really know what to do with herself. Too many sensations had happened to her in one day. Yet now she felt that she had stepped back light years again. If only she could choose questions better. She struggled around Frank's office like a fish without water, still trying to swallow the bitter pill of guilt. Eventually, she sat down on the sofa and began looking through the report again. It calmed her down a bit, made her stop thinking about what had taken place moments ago. It was unbelievable that Frank had overlooked such mistakes. On the other hand, if she was sick, she probably would not notice any of them either. Of course, this was just a failed attempt to defend him. Laura didn't know why she was doing it, since Pritchard used her at every step.

Miss Werner stayed in the office longer than usual, sipping coffee. She quietly hoped that Adam had already gone home because she might not survive another encounter. It was already around 5 pm when she gathered the report pages neatly, placed them back in a paper folder, and then in her backpack. A few minutes later she checked to make sure everything necessary had been turned off and locked the office. As she ran down the stairs and found herself in the lobby, she reflexively looked up to her right. Through the tinted glass, Laura noticed that the Chief of Security was still at his place, which made her pace faster.

By the time she stepped out onto the street, it had been already dark, with the dim lights of the street lamps illuminating only the main road. Meeting Jensen terrified her more than the darkened alleys or the back yards of the residential buildings, so she decided to cut her way back short. Laura walked with a quick, determined step without looking around or stopping. However, she did not manage to reach the main street. She was stopped by a sudden, strong jerk. Confused, she didn't know what was happening until someone's strong arm wrapped around her neck like a snake. The girl tried to catch her breath, but the grip tightened. With panicked movements, she tried to free herself from the impasse. The man was stronger. The grip eased a little when she stepped on his foot. Then she rolled out with a swift movement and grabbed the first better bottle that stood on the lid of the metal garbage pail. She was going to hit him over the head. The man foresaw her move. He grasped Laura's wrist and slammed it against the container that stood next to the wall of the building. She squealed in pain. The auburn-haired girl clenched her teeth overcoming it. With all her might, she struck her attacker with a knee right into the stomach and threw herself into a panicked escape.

"I'll get you, whore!" he hissed squirming in pain. He managed to grab Laura by the backpack, but with a quick move she took it off. "You're already dead, slut!" he growled throwing himself after the fleeing girl. 

He grabbed the girl by her jacket ripping it off her. With rage, he hurled it against the ground without stopping his pursuit. He chased her through the maze of alleys until she hit a dead end. He reached Laura and tugged on her forearm. When she looked up at him, he slapped her cheek hard.

"Don't mess with me or it'll hurt more," he laughed hoarsely.

"Screw you!" she growled furiously, though she knew that instigating wasn't the best idea.  
The man grabbed her by the hair and threw her against the wall. She was befuddled, and a dull pain spread through her head. Laura collapsed. The world swirled before her eyes. The girl knew the feeling well, too well.

"Oh, puppet likes it rough," he muttered, as he unbuckled his trouser belt. "We have plenty of time. No one's looking in here."

He lifted her off the ground, threw the belt around the girl's neck, and tightened with wild pleasure. While struggling she slammed her hip against the metal bucket, which fell over ringing loudly. Without releasing his grip, he pushed her face against the wall so that she scrubbed her cheek over the rough surface. The auburn-haired girl felt him pressing his hips against her buttocks. She was aware of what was coming next but she didn't know how to stop him. He was playing with her, demonstrating his superiority. The helplessness was overwhelming her, making Laura feel like a thing.

"Come on, put that dick in! What are you waiting for you asshole? You don’t know where?! Or maybe it’s not getting hard?!"

She was provoking him only to speed things up so that he would leave her among the garbage like a broken doll and leave. She was shaking with fear and humiliation, but he didn't want to get it over quickly at all.

"I'm going to have a look first," he announced turning her over to face him.

Her gray-blue cowl neck hoodie was torn apart with one strong tug, immediately followed by her black sports bra. She wanted to cover herself with her hands, but he grabbed her wrists and pinned them against the wall.

"I expected them to be bigger, but this has to suffice," he sighed with dissatisfaction and restrained her hands with a belt.

His rough palms groped lustfully at her breasts, squeezing them firmly. His tongue sliding down her neck left a wet and sticky trail as if a snail had crawled on her a moment ago. She felt the hideous touch of his mouth sucking on her skin like a leech. Disgust made her stomach flip over. She tried to kick him again, but he could always predict what the girl would do as if he had known her for a very long time.

Finally, she stopped defending herself. She didn't care anymore. She wanted to die, here and now. Laura closed her eyes full of tears and pain. The end did not want to come. Instead, there were bites more or less severe, the same unpleasant hand that now tried to penetrate under her underwear. He punched her several times in the face for disobedience. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.

"Remember. You're just a whore and whores get fucked," he grunted in her ear.

Laura's mind was filled with images from the past, a harsh reminder of something slumbering, pushed to the deepest recesses of her memory. The passing seconds rumbled through her head like exploding bombs. One by one. One by one...


	14. The light in the darkness.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is not a fairy tale, not in Laura's case. Each ray of light not lasts long...

_Detroit. / Adam's apartment. / Laura's home.  
_

Jensen left the office later than intending. He was distracted after today’s events. He felt as if he had allowed himself for too much, that he should be more mindful of his emotions. When he left the company, he lit a cigarette and nimbly ran down the stairs. At first, he wanted to go home through the main streets or even take the subway but eventually decided to shorten his way through side streets. The neighborhood was mostly dark, disturbed by a dim light of street lamps only in a few places. He had to watch out for overturned buckets and garbage bags scattered all over the place. There was also a broken bottle, stinking vomit, and vulgar drawings on the wall, which was nothing unusual. Adam tossed his cigarette butt on the ground and stubbed it out with his shoe. It was then that he noticed Laura's backpack lying on the ground. Jensen took it with a thought that it seemed strange to him that she had lost it right here. After few more steps further he found her jacket. It was torn into shreds. Suddenly, images flashed right before his eyes which awoke a dormant detective mind. Instantly, he began to piece together the clues. The broken bottle might not have been a coincidence, and the shoe marks looked as if someone was sliding on the ground during a likely chase. Jensen's quick step turned into a run. He searched for more clues with concentration, catching smells and sounds. If it's too late, if something happened to her, he won't forgive himself for the rest of his life.

Laura screamed in pain as the attacker bit into her neck. Although not so long ago she wanted to die, now reason came into play. The man's left hand roamed chaotically over her body. She could not predict where it would be in a moment, which drove her insane. The fingers of his right hand wriggled unbearably between her legs. Shrill despair ripped from her lungs with another scream. The one that was heard by Adam.

Unfortunately, her life had never been a fairy tale and never would be. The man finished playing with her and went straight to the point. Laura squirmed, trying to escape with her hips but he pushed against her firmly. Then there were only aggressive thrusts. The first, the second, the third. Even the pain became indifferent to her. She has already come to terms with her fate, and a whole fucked up life flashed before the girl's eyes. Laura closed her eyes tight.

"Leave her alone, motherfucker!" he roared with rage.

She thought she heard a voice, that well-known husky voice of Adam. An irrational sense of relief filled her mind. After all, he's not here, it's just a projection of her sick imagination. The Chief of Security pulled the attacker back by his hair and punched him in the face with the fist. The sudden cold made her realized that tormentor had stopped moving and wasn’t panting into her ear. Laura did not open her eyes; she allowed herself to continue dreaming. She settled on the ground and waited. If it’s not him? If it’s another guy desiring to rape her?

Driven by primal aggression, Jensen banged the rapist's head against the wall until he felt he had enough. His eyes burned with fury. Adam was completely out of control because of Laura, he was like a machine programmed to destroy the enemy and defend the target. Finally, he threw the man into a pile of garbage and kicked him several times in the ribs. After making sure he would not get up, he returned to Laura, who was now huddled against the wall of the building.

"Laura?! Can you hear me?!" his voice changed instantly, now it was a mixture of fear and uncertainty. "You're safe now, I'm here." He tried to reassure her. "Look at me."

The girl slowly raised her head, opened one eye, and through her tears, she saw the blurry face of Adam.

"Did he rape you?" He didn't want to ask that question, after all, he knew and had seen, but he needed to be sure. The words seemed to burn his throat.

The girl wanted to deny it, to lie to him to spare Jensen trouble. It’s her burden, her alone. In Laura’s sad eyes was a request, a begging: „Please stay out of this. It’s not your concern. I beg you, Adam, just leave.” But he didn’t want to listen.

"Tell me the truth," his voice grew firm.

"Yes," she replied biting her lip.

Adam got rid of the belt that had been used to tie Laura's wrists together, rose from his knees, and reached his hand out towards her, helping the girl in getting up. While Laura was buttoning up her pants and struggling with the torn clothes, he went to check if the tormentor was still alive. He wanted to kill him and massacre his dead body for what he had committed, but Laura's trembling voice behind his back stopped Jensen from doing so.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "If it weren't you... If it weren't... I..."

The shaken girl hugged him tightly around the waist, snuggling her cheek into his torso. Though Adam was torn by conflicting emotions he didn't push her away. He couldn't, not now. He would be a complete idiot. He carefully enclosed her in the cage of his strong arms giving her as much time as she needed to quieten down at least a little. He, however, felt that he had failed her. He blamed himself for everything that had happened to Laura. If he was faster, more perceptive, maybe then… Maybe...

"Hush, hush. I'm here with you,” Adam reassured her as best he could, but he was aware that it was not enough, that no words could let her forget.

It didn't matter that he had just broken all his resolutions. She needed him here and now at this very moment. So he was because he couldn't act otherwise, because he wanted to be. Despite the circumstances they found themselves in, somewhere deep down he felt happy to embrace her. Although on the outside he was composed deep inside he was screaming desperately. Why her?! Why did this have to happen to her?! Why did he fail?! Why the fuck?! Because of his damn rules, his fucking pride, and fear of opening up. He would have given anything to turn back time, anything for this dearest being he now held in his arms.

"You should report this to the police. I'll go with you if..." he offered in a calm tone without letting Laura out of his embrace.

"No, please..." she protested clenching her hands tightly on his sweater. "They'll ask about everything several times. I can't stand the whole night at the police station. I can't stand the shame."

Adam sighed. He had a completely different opinion. This bastard should answer for what he did. Meanwhile, she was letting him off the hook. Nevertheless, he did not exert pressure. He could only imagine how she felt right now.

"Can we get out of here now?" she asked, trying to cover herself with her shredded hoodie.

Without a second thought, Jensen took off his coat and covered the girl with it. He didn't care that it was too long and almost dragged on the ground. He picked up the backpack and handed it to her. Looking at Miss Werner's scratched face, at the sadness in her eyes he blamed himself even harder for not leaving the company right after he saw her from his office.

Streetlights illuminated their silhouettes for a moment, and then they were lost in the darkness until they reached another light source. Adam reflexively embraced Laura when anyone passed them. He felt responsible for her. Bright colored lights flashed at them from storefronts, few cars passed them on the way home. They were invariably silent. Many could marvel how could it be possible that these two were still wandering in their own labyrinths of feelings having everything at their fingertips reach.

Soon they were standing in front of her house. Laura was the first to end this awkward situation. She took off the coat intending to give it back to Adam.

"Thank you again for everything. I'll see you tomorrow," was the only thing she managed to say with her still trembling voice.

He almost let Laura go. She would have almost slipped away and would have disappeared behind the door if Adam hadn't come to his senses in time.

"You can't be alone now," he stated firmly, but only concern spoke through him.

"I'll be fine, really." She turned her head smiling faintly. „Please don’t worry.”

„I’m not worthy of your concern. I’m not worthy of being saved, not by you. I’m nobody, just a dirty rag.” This is what she wanted to say.

"Of course you will, but I'm taking you to my place," he insisted.

  
[So I want to run to your shelter tonight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkweStbjjSE)   
[Run to the shelter tonight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkweStbjjSE)   
[United in silent resistance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkweStbjjSE)   
[Of bowing to false kings](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkweStbjjSE)   
[So let me run to your shelter tonight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkweStbjjSE)   
[Run from this meaningless pantomime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkweStbjjSE)   
[I'll swallow my pride](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkweStbjjSE)   
[Give up the pretence of bowing to false kings](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkweStbjjSE)

It was that husky, decisive voice that did not tolerate objection. Indeed, she could not refuse him. Deep inside, Laura needed Jensen’s presence now. He covered her back with his coat, put his arm around Laura’s shoulders, and led her to the Chiron Building. They didn't speak in the elevator or long after entering the suite. Adam took two glasses from the cupboard, set them on the low coffee table in the living room, and poured some Whisky into them. Laura felt quite insecure in the new place. Only now did she realize that they were all alone here. In the narrow hallway against the wall on the right, she noticed quite a few cardboard boxes that he had not yet or still had not unpacked. The apartment seemed as lonely and dreary as its owner was. With no doubt, it has partially anchored in the old days that were forever gone. This part of it was close to her heart, it made her feel at home. She shyly walked a bit further, passing the small kitchen on the left. She went down a few stairs to the living room. An antique-looking sofa finished with wood and upholstered in green-gray vertical striped fabric attracted her attention. It was standing on a decorated coral-colored carpet.

"A few sips should help." Jensen handed her a glass, encouraging to drink.

He drank it all in one gulp, set the glass down on the table, and walked over to one of the cardboard boxes that were also present in the living room. He crouched down beside it, searching through the contents. Adam was looking for something in particular and did not give up until he found it. Laura took a sip while looking at him investigatively, her face twisted into a grimace as if she had eaten a lemon.

"Too strong?" he asked, and the corner of his lips twitched in an involuntary smile.

"Maybe a little," she replied quietly, looking at what he had brought.

"Unfortunately I don't have anything bluer," he said after a moment, somewhat embarrassed, handing her one of his t-shirts.

"You didn't have to..." she sighed accepting the t-shirt. "How did you even kn...?"

“I figured it out not so long ago. You can change in the bathroom. I'll show you the way."

"There's no need to." Laura shook her head, taking another sip. She set the glass down, took off Adam’s coat, hanged it over the backrest of the sofa, and started changing clothes.

Adam did not know if she was doing it on purpose, spontaneously, or if the alcohol mixed with what she experienced desensitized her to his presence. The truth was that right now Laura didn't care who was staring at her tits. She was just a dirty rag that someone had wiped the floor with. Not the first time, not the last. Jensen turned around before he could see anything, but her silhouette reflected in the large TV screen that occupied a large part of the living room wall. He momentarily closed his eyes, deciding that it was inappropriate and unprofessional to peep. Laura tucked torn clothes into the backpack and fixed her ponytail. The sound of the zipper could be the unspoken permission to opening his eyes, but Adam waited a moment longer. Jensen walked past Laura, nimbly climbing three stairs, crossed the bedroom, and disappeared into the bathroom from where he had brought the first aid kit.

"Sit down, I don't bite, really," he said, forcing himself into a gentle tone, and pointed to the sofa.

Laura took it as an order. She felt terribly stupid for troubling him and involuntarily dragging Adam into matters that did not concern him at all. Now he would probably relax after work, do what he felt like doing instead of dealing with some pitiful, raped thing. Jensen sat down next to her after a while. He looked nothing like that stiff Sarif Industries CoS right now, though Laura still felt there was a distance between them. It was not the kind of distance that divides, but the one that brings people closer together, one that shortens instead of stretching. The one she wasn't ready for at all. Therefore, a sea of icy uncertainty wrapped her, clutching her whole body and freezing her lungs. The entire rape incident was nothing compared to the emotions raging now inside Laura.

"Do you have a headache? Any vision distortion? Problems with keeping the balance?" his voice was an equal mixture of fatherly concern, decisiveness, and friendly support.

She nodded to the first question, shook her head with denial to the other ones. If she had to give an answer, she would say that her heartaches. But this is by no means a medical problem. Adam examined her hands carefully. Only now did he notice the long scar on the outside of her right forearm. It extended from the elbow almost to the wrist. He didn't ask about it, as a professional, he kept everything to himself. Anyway, she wouldn't tell him the truth, and he didn't need lies. Both wrists were livid from being tightened by the belt, so he smeared them with some ointment. It had a pleasant honey smell. The blood dripping from the wound on her right cheek clotted on her skin in ugly dark trickles that woven together like a spider's web. The lower lip was cut open and slightly swollen. Besides, from what he noticed earlier, she had numerous bruises and bite marks all over her body. What kind of a bastard does one have to be to do something like that. Adam caught himself thinking that earlier he had no hesitation to touch Laura during the personal search, but now he was uncomfortable with the sight of a piece of her bare arm.

"It may pinch a little," he informed just as a doctor warns the patient.

Laura squinted, the touch of his hand caused goosebumps. He was gentle, sometimes just a little too forceful, but she felt he was trying hard so she let him take care of her. Finally, he covered the wound with sticking plaster. The girl smiled slightly in gratitude. They took another step towards reconciliation and began to lay the foundation for something much more lasting. Laura had already forgotten why she had ended up in Detroit, what her obligations were, and that she hated that grumpy Cerberus. Adam cleaned only the visible wounds on her face, neck, or hands. He left the others out of sheer decency.

"I can sleep on the sofa. I've already caused you too much trouble anyway," she said without a second thought.

"Out of the question," he replied with sudden annoyance in his voice as he put the things back in the first aid kit.

Jensen didn't like her words. The girl confused pity with care, and that always made him angry. He needed to cool down, so he wouldn't say too much. Adam went to prepare her bed. Laura felt that she had probably offended him with something, which overwhelmed her even more. Adam's anger, after all, was the last thing she wanted. When he finished, she obediently took his bed sinking into the cold bed linen and the scent, his scent. The Chief of Security only muttered 'Good night' before heading to the couch. Again he behaved reprehensibly, but even in this situation, he was unable to overcome it. He should be with her now, assure her that she is safe, and doesn't leave Laura even for a step away. Meanwhile, he crawled into his solitude, leaving her only because she offended his pride. Besides, he also decided that being in the same bed together was inappropriate and that sudden circumstances changed nothing. He was lying to himself by looking for any arguments just to suppress his guilt. Adam wanted to be a shoulder to lean on and a voice to whisper quietly in her ear that everything bad was already gone. He longed to cradle Laura in his arms, but her every look, every tear, and breath reminded him of how weak he was and how he fucked up everything. She deserves much better and more than he can give her.

The bedroom was furnished with only the most necessary items and separated from the living room by a wall. However, Laura noticed that it was possible to walk freely between the rooms cause there were no doors only wooden arches. Even the bathroom didn't have them. The girl sighed heavily and tried to sleep.

She woke suddenly unable to breathe, drenched in sweat and terrified. She felt lonely in an unfamiliar place. Although Adam was so close to her, she could not find peace. The whole incident in the dark alley awakened the until now dormant oily shadows that poured into her subconscious, reminding her that they had always been here. She got out of bed, put on pants, and grabbed the backpack, throwing it over her shoulder. Holding shoes in her hand, she looked out cautiously to see if Jensen was indeed asleep. She quietly walked along the wall toward the exit, pressed the button that opened the door, and fled.

"I’m sorry," she whispered regretfully once she was standing in the hallway.

Laura put on shoes and took the elevator down to the ground floor. She crossed the street in a hurry, after a while she was safe at home. Stalker came to greet her so the girl stroked him gently. The cat answered with a long purr, raising his tail straight up. She filled the cat’s bowl with food and cleared the litter tray. Then took off her backpack, throwing it carelessly on the sofa. When every usual thing was considered done, Laura ran straight to the bathroom. She felt dirty, blemished, and humiliated. With the hot water, she tried to burn out the mark, furiously scratching her skin almost to the blood, wanting to forget. She sat down in the shower tray, curled up, and began to cry hysterically. Now she could, now no one saw that she was weak. Water poured down on her like rain, but it didn’t heal her wounds even a little. Laura slowly stood up and turned off the water. She reached for a towel and dried her skin. In the smashed mirror she could hardly see herself so with a heavy sigh she took the first aid kit and left the bathroom. Using the mirror hanging on the left wall of the hall, Laura managed to take care of most of the wounds. She expected Adam to be angry with her, but she could not act otherwise. She didn’t know how to behave properly when someone cares. She had always mistaken care with pity. She'd screwed everything up again, but it wasn’t deliberate. The barely solidified foundations collapsed, the distance between her and Adam stretched even more than usual, and the dream died in the loneliness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled with myself about how to end the assault and finally whole scene looks like this. Now both Adam and Laura have more problems to solve. I'm cruel, yes but this was necessary step on the way of showing Laura with all of her demons.


	15. The desperate begging for help.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though Laura wishes that Adam should stay away from everything that had happened, he can't just stay passive and do nothing. Whether she likes it or not he starts his private investigation...

_ Laura’s apartment / Sarif Industries – Headquarters _

Even after taking a sleeping pill, Laura was unable to fall asleep, which made her frustrated. It was not the first time that she faced pain, humiliation, and shame, but then she was completely alone with it, so paradoxically it was easier to recover and forget. After some time, she called it a daily routine, just like brushing her teeth. Now she unintentionally dragged into her swamp some nosy brunette about 6'1" tall. Fortunately, it had been probably not too late to pull him out of it before things became disastrous. She tried to close her eyes, but at every attempt, she saw Adam's face, and when she covered herself with the quilt she felt as if he was cuddling her. This unbearable feeling made her scream with pure, unbridled despair. Lying on her right side, she curled up, and when she bit her lip, the wound began to bleed again, leaving a few scarlet marks on the sheets. She could hear conversations in the street, the sound of car tires, and the falling rain. Somehow she managed to fall asleep, and when morning broke into her bedroom with the insistent rays of the sun, she didn't want to wake up at all. Laura hoped that the events of the last night were just another nightmare. Unfortunately, Adam's t-shirt she was wearing persistently reminded her of every touch, breath, or fear. It also reminded her of running away from Jensen. She didn't want to go to work so much today, she waited until the last minute for a miracle, but this time there was no saving call from Frank. If Pritchard had been at the company, she would have taken the day off, but these fucking responsibilities were forcing her to be there. It's like someone sprinkling salt on her wounds. She didn't really care what she was wearing. She picked up another pair of jeans, a casual sweater, this time dark purple and began to dress reluctantly. On the way, she fed the cat but didn't eat anything herself. Laura felt her throat clenched, she would throw up if she swallowed anything. She picked up the backpack in which she had placed Frank's report, put on her jacket, and left.

Today she took the longer path, without hurrying at all, and she arrived at the company ahead of schedule anyway. Jensen was not around, but still, she expected that eventually, they would bump into each other. Her face betrayed absolutely nothing, just the everyday face of Miss Werner. Adam was the only person who knew about what happened, and Laura trusted the Chief of Security’s discretion. As she walked through the lobby, she was under the impression that people were talking about her, that everyone knew. Two random girls were whispering something in each other's ear, then looked as if in Laura’s direction. Suddenly the mask she was wearing fell shattering to pieces and her mind was flooded with voices. She heard them say: "Bitch", "Dirty slut", "You're a nobody", "Worm", "Get out of here!", "You disgust us!", "Did you think Jensen would fall for you if you make a victim of yourself?" then there were waves of mocking laughter that wouldn't stop. Laura ran up the stairs to the second floor, bumping into someone on the way, or maybe it was just a projection of her mind. She opened Pritchard's office, entered, and immediately locked it from the inside. She was panting with exertion and fear, leaning her back against the door, she slowly settled on the ground and began to cry hysterically.

After a few minutes, she called herself to order as she had duties that had to be done regardless of personal matters. She got up from the floor, giving herself a few more quiet breaths, then stepped to the desk and booted the computer along with the servers. While waiting for the system to be ready for work, she brewed herself a mug of coffee. Fortunately, she still had some time, so before the first employees, who signed up for the password change, came, she managed to go through the e-mail, drink a coffee, check how the security works and review the report.

Laura was focused while dealing with the first few people, then it became a routine procedure that was downright tedious. Everyone looked at her face with questions on their lips, but no one asked any, which made Laura very relieved. After just over an hour she had ticked off almost all the names on the list and to her displeasure only Adam and Faridah remained. She leaned against the backrest of the armchair which creaked quietly, tilting back in the process. She intertwined hands behind her head, observing cabinets filled with binders, the tangle of cables on the floor, and the row of monitors. For a split second, she felt like she could see the word ‘Rag’ written on each of the screens. She twitched in her armchair as if suddenly woke up from a dream. At the same moment, she heard a knocking on the door.

"May I?" Faridah asked, slowly crossing the threshold.

"Sure, sit down. It will only take a moment to change the password," she announced shortly.

Malik shook her head and sighed heavily. After taking a longer look at Laura, she noticed a scratch on her right cheek that was partially covered with sticking plaster and a cut open lower lip. She gave up asking questions because she would have probably heard anyway, that again it was the cat checking if the cups do bounce. She wasted no time on nonsense.

"I don't know what happened between you and Adam. I'm not getting into it. If you want to limit yourself just to fulfill duties, OK," she replied sitting down, but Laura could sense the displeasure in her voice.

"Sorry, I had a rough night, so I'm a bit nasty," she tried to ease the tense situation.

It was enough for her that she angered Adam, she does not need another war. Laura was fed up with everything, especially herself. She regretted that Jensen had saved her; it would have been better for everyone if they had found her dead among the garbage bags. No one would cry over her grave, no one would have remembered. And now she is just an awkward situation for everyone to avoid or take pity on.

"Do you want to talk about it? If so, no problem. We can pop out to 'The Jackdaw', there are usually not too many people there at this hour," she suggested.

"I need to finish changing the passwords," she sighed in between typing commands. "You and Adam are the last ones. I should wait."

"Adam went out somewhere on important business. He'll most likely be back after lunch," she informed parrying the last of Laura's excuses. "So, shall we go?"

Important business, sure. Jensen was now avoiding her more than the fire - that's what the whole painful truth looked like. "Dirty rags get thrown away to don't look at them and don't smell how they stink." - the one memorized sentence she had once heard rumbled in her head. Still, she contained her emotions. She couldn't simply fall apart in Malik's presence. But on the other hand, she would like to tell her everything, maybe she could help to solve this case somehow. She was afraid for Adam; she'd rather bump into him ten times a day now, than live in the uncertainty that something could happen to him while he's outside the company.

"Laura? You didn't freeze like that Pritchard’s scrap, did you?" Faridah waved her hand in front of the girl’s eyes.

"What? No," she smiled slightly because it was the right thing to do. "Well, okay, you've convinced me. Maybe a little lunch isn't such a bad idea," she added starting to turn off the computer.

"In ten minutes at the lobby? I still have to finish something."

"Sure, I need a moment too. See you later."

As Malik left, Laura began to have concerns again. She had agreed too quickly for that lunch, but she couldn't be assertive in her presence. The girl looked around the office to make sure everything was turned off and walked out into the hallway. As she walked down the stairs to the lobby she looked up to her right, but Adam's office was dark. Before she joined Faridah at the front desk, she had heard the sound of an incoming message so she reached into her trouser pocket for her phone.

“It is easy to love your friend, but sometimes the hardest lesson to learn is to love your enemy.”

― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Again, there was no visible number, and the attempt to track the sender will probably end up the same as last time.

***

_ Detroit – D.P.D. Headquarters _

Right after Laura left, Adam went back to his bed and fell asleep almost immediately. Ever since Mexicantown, he had been haunted by nightmares that he would not have been able to cope with without help. Systematic work under the supervision of a psychologist made him stop dreaming about anything. If he slept at all. Last night it all came back, but this time it was about Miss Werner. It was her desperate begging for help. "Help me please" - those two words made him unable to remain passive. He had never believed in dreams, but this one was so strangely real, incredibly vivid as if she had in fact come to him in some unexplained way. For the rest of the night, he stood by the window staring at the girl's apartment like a guardian, while quiet music flowed from the speakers.

_[ I've been watching you ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ Not waiting for the right moment to make the first move ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ Do you want to know ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ Why I keep avoiding your eyes ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ And why I'm running away? ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ It's crazy, I know ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ I've been conceiving you for too long ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ Or maybe I'm destined to be alone? ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ Or maybe there's someone who will understand ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ That I'm not able to share my world? ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ I'm still running away ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ It's crazy, I know ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ I've been conceiving you for too long ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ If only I could change all things around ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ Still conceiving you all along ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ I've been conceiving you for too long ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ If only I could change all things around ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ I've been conceiving you for too long ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ I've grown used to that ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

_[ Still conceiving you all along ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMXG7kM8YZk) _

It was for this reason that he put personal matters above official duty. He was aware that he was acting against Laura, but this motherfucker must answer for what he did. The girl might be angry with him for the rest of his life, but at least his conscience would be at ease. Before he made his final decision, he had wandered around the city with no particular goal in mind. He wanted to give himself some time to think, to cool down his emotions so as not to act too impulsively. It came to him, that again he thinks only of himself and tries to extinguish the remorse, using the tragedy which happened to the girl. He crossed the road and after a few steps turned the corner. Is he really acting in accordance with himself? Should he respect her decision and let it go? Adam knew the answer, but he felt that Laura might be in danger of something worse. He followed the news, and for a long time, there was no mention of rape-related assaults. Why just now and so unexpectedly? He must at least try to find out something, maybe someone wants to intimidate Laura and she is afraid to ask for help. Too many unknowns for him to be able to say anything with certainty.

He burnt out a cigarette almost at the door of the Detroit Police Station and stepped inside. Several people were waiting in the lobby; Jensen looked to his left at the glass-walled reception room. An officer whom he did not even know sat behind an extensive desk, filling out the documents. The room was filled with cabinets full of binders and case files. The sharp rays of the autumn sun shone through the gaps of lowered blinds, highlighting the clouds of dust floating in the air. There were several diplomas on one of the walls. Apart from this, the usual mess reigned. Adam remembered it well from his days in the police. Hardly anyone then found a moment for arranging the towering piles of paper files, which as it could be seen has remained until now. The Chief of Security hoped to enter without any unnecessary formalities, but the door to the rest of the station was locked. He wasn't going to break in, so he walked up to the glass window and grunted as he tried to get attention. The man was under 30; he didn't seem very pleased to be sitting behind the desk, but Jensen wasn't surprised at all. Paperwork in the police is like being sentenced to 100 years of hard labor. Adam was not concerned with remembering the man's external appearance. It was irrelevant at the moment; he had more important matters. The policeman didn't notice Jensen, so he knocked on the glass window. Only then did he reluctantly raise his head.

"I'm looking for Sergeant Wayne Haas. I need to speak with him urgently," the Chief of Security said shortly.

"Everyone here wants to talk," he muttered dissatisfied, returning to his business.

"Listen, boy. I know sitting behind a desk is not the height of a policeman's dream, but I've been through it myself," he tried to appeal to his feelings.

"Well, I'll ask if he'll take you in, Mr...?"

"Jensen, Adam Jensen."

The officer reluctantly picked up the phone and dialed the extension number. After a brief exchange of words, he nodded to the Chief of Security and opened the door. Adam immediately turned right heading straight for the stairs. He hastily exited to the third floor and turned right again. The narrow, winding hallway was almost empty except for one officer busy with playing a game on his phone. Every now and then, he would hear a radio call for patrols or information about the traffic situation. Jensen made his way to the office area, quickly finding the right room. He knocked hoping that Wayne hadn't let him in only to kick him out the door.

"Well, you showed up, I wonder what for," muttered the man with fair, short-cut hair, piercing the Chief of Security with his brown eyes.

He was dressed in a white shirt with rank epaulets sewn on his shoulders, with Detroit City Police badges on both sleeves. On the left side of the chest, was a gold badge pinned to a pocket. The man had a negative attitude towards Jensen, which could be seen with the naked eye.

"Hello, Wayne," Adam greeted him calmly. „I urgently need your help.”

„After all that happened, you dared to come here and simply ask for my help?” Wayne hissed with anger. „You must be arrogant to the bone or desperate.”

"I came here on an important matter, and you're the only person who can tell me anything. I don't want to fight with you, but I’m aware that you can just kick me out."

Haas clearly wanted to take it out on Jensen, but eventually let it go, at least for a while. He crossed his legs and played with the ball-pen in silence for a while, demonstrating his superiority.

"Well, okay," he sighed, struggling to push aside the grief and rage that was rising within him.

"What's this important business?" he asked, gesturing Jensen to sit down.

The Chief of Security sat down on the armchair located on another side of the desk. He felt like a victim who comes to report a crime. Laura should be sitting here now, not him.

"Didn't a beat-up man fall into your hands by any chance? Last night or today." He asked rather vaguely since in all the confusion he couldn't remember what he looked like.

Wayne lazily tapped something on the computer keyboard and frowned. "Mhm. Severely beaten male, age 39, Caucasian. Multiple assaults, extortion, beatings, and rapes. Also, weapons and drug smuggling. We've been looking for him for some time."

Adam's face brightened as Haas spoke. He had to somehow get into his cell and interrogate that bastard.

"Do you know who he works for?"

"No, the guy is silent about it. Why are you so interested in this? " Haas grew suspicious, his eyes focused on Jensen's face.

The Chief of Security didn't know what to do. He felt obligated to keep Laura's secret, but if he remained silent, he would miss his only chance.

“This is a very delicate matter, Wayne. I have promised discretion to a certain person, even though I know she is making a mistake. I act on my own; I want to know if the guy is a lone wolf."

"Another rape victim, huh? First for a long time." The officer sighed heavily and shook his head. "Let me guess; you're the one responsible for his shape?"

Adam was silent thinking if he should confess to his old friend.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Between you and me, you did the right thing. Otherwise, we'd still be chasing our own tail."

"Yes, I'm the one who almost massacred him because I couldn't remain passive facing with what that son of a bitch did."

"Look, I'll get you a little one-on-one, but control yourself," he warned reaching for the phone. In fact, it was to his advantage because if Jensen got the information out, he would benefit.

A quarter of an hour later, the Chief of Security was locked in a confession room. The room was cramped, a simple metal table was placed on the gray floor along with two chairs beside it. The dark green tiles on the walls were scratched, and the traces of blood were left on them here and there. The defendant was already waiting to be interrogated, sitting on a chair with his hands cuffed behind his back. It was only in the bright light of the lamp that Adam could see that the man was not very far from being dead. He had a swollen face and thick layers of bandages on his head, which made it difficult to describe his appearance. Despite his unpleasant situation, it was clear from the body language that he wanted to say: "Screw you all". Jensen hovered around him slowly with his hands folded across his chest. Behind the Venetian mirror stood Wayne, who watched with apprehension as to how the conversation would proceed.

"Who do you work for?" Adam asked calmly and straight to the point.

"Fuck your ass," the man replied and spat on the ground.

The Chief of Security took note of his behavior but did not react.

"Be polite and answer my question, maybe then we can think about a lighter sentence."

"Are you deaf, flatfoot?!" he growled, spitting on the same spot again.

"Do that again…"

"And what will you do to me, police faggot?!" he interrupted Adam, spitting a third time.

With a swift motion, Jensen grabbed the rapist by the neck, impetuously threw him off the chair, which rang as it hit the wall, and pressed his face against the slobbery floor.

"Now you lick the floor clean!" he roared over his ear. "Got it?!" he hissed pressing his face harder.

Haas stirred, already wanting to stop the interrogation, but he gave Adam a moment longer.

"All right, all right! I'll tell!" he softened as if he remembered the Chief of Security’s firm grip.

"See, you know how to be reasonable, though," he said lifting the man up and pushing him on the other chair.

Jensen picked up the reclining chair, turned it with its backrest towards the table, and sat down astride on it.

"I'm listening, but I warn you that my patience is running out, so no games," he said with the hard tone of a policeman.

"Someone called me a few days ago, told me that the job is simple," the man said with a trembling voice.

"Who called?!” Jensen raised his voice, impatiently waiting for an answer. „Specifics please," he urged, punctuating the words.

“I don't know, undisclosed principal. Didn't introduce himself, but I think he's probably an agent of a big fish. He promised a lot of money for this girl."

"And you agreed, huh?! Motherfucker!” Adam stood up smashing his fists against the tabletop. „One more girl raped is irrelevant to you?!" he growled furiously. He wanted to punch that man hard, but he promised Wayne to keep his emotions at bay so he sat back.

"Before I got nicked, I had enough time to see that savings on my bank account actually had few more zeros. That's all."

Adam rubbed his sweaty neck with the palm of his hand. He might have continued pressing him, but the guy did give the impression that he was telling the truth and knew no more than what he said. Jensen stood up without a word and with the intention to leave, but the detainee decided to say something more.

"But let me tell you in secret: I haven't fucked such a nice, tight, and wet pussy for a long time. You should try it yourself."

Haas was almost in a panic by now; he knew how such words could affect Jensen. He watched the rising anger, observed trembling, firmly clenched fist. Wayne reached for the phone hanging on the wall to the left but froze the motion halfway. Adam managed to hold his fury before it exploded. This time it ended with a clenched fist and a slamming of the door.

"Thanks, Wayne," he said to the sergeant as they walked back down the hallway together.

"Likewise. If you hadn't shown up we'd still know as much as nothing."

"In fact, you still don't have anything specific and neither do I." Adam sighed and lit a cigarette.

"You know this girl well, don't you?" Haas asked, glancing at the man.

Jensen nodded affirmatively. "I do." He let out a cloud of smoke from his mouth.

Wayne noticed the sudden sadness in Jensen’s eyes and his husky voice saying: 'I do' in fact meant that he cares for that girl. That was something extraordinary. Haas didn't know him from that side.

"Why didn't she report it? She should get the guy bust for good," he wondered, stopping outside his office.

"I don't know why, and I'm not going to push, that's her matter," he shrugged and looked at the time on his phone. “Listen, I have to get back to the company. If you need something, just call me."

"Sure, take care."

Adam left the police station in a foul mood. He wanted to talk to Wayne about the past, but this was not the right time and place. Besides, Laura's case turned out to be more complicated than he expected. Someone wants to scare her or even kill her, but who and what for? He could not simply ask Miss Werner, because she would not tell him anyway and the conversation would end in another argument. Their relationship is fucked up enough, and he can forget she'll even bother to look at him. The lack of anything to go on with his investigation irritated him like a small stone in a shoe. Until he finds out something more, he should keep an eye on Laura, because if someone places considerable financial resources to hurt her, he must have good reasons for doing so. Perhaps the girl stepped on someone's toes by stealing some important data, after all, IT System Security Specialist is just a nice term for a hacker. Even if he had access to all of the files on hacking attacks in the past few years, it would take the rest of his life to go through it if he doesn't know what to look for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know! I know! Haas is here, but I need him to get Adam more involved in events happening around Laura.


End file.
